Feast Day: February 11th
The Life of Saint Theodora: While the Confessors of Orthodoxy, the Holiest people of the time, were being harassed, tortured and exiled to the farthest boundaries of the Empire, Theodora remained steadfast in the true Faith and secretly Venerated the Holy Icons, which were hidden in her bedchamber…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: As a right worthy namesake of gifts bestowed of God, and a Divinely-wrought image of Holy wisdom and faith, thou didst make the Church to shine with Godly piety; for thou didst demonstrate to all that the Saints in every age have shown honour to the Icons, O Theodora, thou righteous and fair adornment of the Orthodox.
Kontakion: We sing thy praises as the gem and fairness of the Church, and as a diadem and pattern of all Christian queens, O all-lauded and Divinely-crowned Theodora; for in bringing back the Icons to their rightful place, thou didst cast usurping heresy out of the Church. Hence, we cry to thee: Rejoice, O Sovereign most venerable.
Saint Theodora was very intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but above all she kept the Orthodox Faith in her heart, which she inherited from her devout mother Theoktista. Saint Theodora and her husband Theophilos had five daughters named Thekla, Anna, Anastasia, Pulcheria and Maria, and two sons named Constantine and Michael.
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Emperor Theophilos revived persecution against the Holy Icons, with great tortures and exiles for believers. During this time of Iconoclasm, Saint Theodora secretly kept her faith and Veneration of the Holy Icons. She protected an Icon of Our Panagia by hiding it behind the mirror in her bedroom. One evening while Saint Theodora was away from the palace, Emperor Theophilos was playing with his children and when it was time to go to bed, the children asked their father for their “Panagitsa”, so they could Pray to her. Theophilos said we have no Icons here. Then the children told him it is behind the mirror. Enraged, Theophilos found the Icon and threw it in the fireplace. Saint Theodora then entered the room and saved the most beautiful Icon of Our Panagia from the flames. This Icon can be seen below, and it is called Panagia of the Mirror, and is kept at the Monastery of Saint Paul on Mount Athos.
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Despite her husband’s wishes, Saint Theodora would often take her five daughters and visit her mother Theoktista, who was a Nun in a Monastery she founded. Here they received guidance and spiritual instruction.
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When Theophilos was on his deathbed, Saint Theodora brought out her Icon of Panagia and placed it on his face. He then Venerated the Holy Icon and confessed the True Faith, then gave his Soul into the hands of God. Saint Theodora then became Empress because their son Michael was too young to inherit the Throne at that time. Saint Theodora then immediately ended Iconoclasm on March 11th 843, and initiated the restoration of Holy Icons, and called back all the exiled Confessors of Orthodoxy to the Empire.
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After many years, Saint Theodora and her daughters were obliged to retire to the Monastery of Gastira, but remained untonsured, but devoted the rest of her life to Prayer and fasting.
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Below are two photos of Saint Theodora’s manuscript of the Four Gospels, written by herself.
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Icons
