Memorial Day of St. Theodore Studite, Confessor

In the Orthodox calendar, November 24 (11 Old Style) marks the feast of the Byzantine saint Theodore the Studite, confessor Despite the fact that the monk lived in a state where the Christian religion had long become the only and official religion, he suffered many persecutions and torments from the imperial power Being a true Christian, the saint spoke the truth without fear to the faces of the rulers, denouncing their unrighteous actions Theodore was born in 758 into a wealthy Constantinople family, thanks to which he received an excellent upbringing and education But approaching the age of Christ, Theodore decides to devote himself to monastic life Without seeking honors or recognition, he was appointed to the position of abbot The future saint could have lived a calm, prosperous life, setting an example of a humble Christian, but fate prepared tests for his faith and fortitude Emperor Constantine, disregarding all church laws, gets rid of his lawful wife, sending her to a monastery Soon a new empress appeared - a young relative of Constantine Many courtiers were sent to follow the emperor’s example, and divorces and illegal marriages became the norm The only voice of truth, among the increasing sin, was Theodore's accusatory speeches Konstantin took the words of the Studite as the greatest insolence Theodore faced prison, cruel torture and exile After the death of the emperor, Studite was released and appointed abbot of the monastery, where he worked tirelessly to improve the monastery walls, wrote church works and introduced a pious strict charter, called Studite And again, testing times came for the righteous Theodore In Byzantium, the time of iconoclasm began; icons were designated as idolatry and were destroyed The saint did not stand aside; he fiercely resisted the iconoclasts, standing up to defend Orthodox shrines Even persecution and imprisonment did not silence him Seven long years in prison, beatings and hunger did not break Theodore’s spirit He outlived another emperor and returned to his native Constantinople And again he was disappointed; the icons were no longer persecuted, but they did not return to their rightful places in the churches As before, everyone was afraid to speak in defense of icon veneration With a sorrowful heart, the Monk Theodore the Studite decides to leave for a secluded place, where he tirelessly served the Orthodox faith together with his faithful disciples until his own death at the age of 68 The saint left behind an example of steadfast faith; he is one of the main teachers and righteous teachers of asceticism and a defender of icon veneration Theodore is known for his literary works; his monastic rule was spread throughout all Christian countries, including Rus' He saw one of the most important moments of his Christian service in the unity of faith between East and West