Memorial Day of St. Theodosius the Great

Every year on January 24, Orthodox and Catholics commemorate Theodosius the Great, the first founder and organizer of the monastic hostel The saint was born in 424 AD in the village of Mogarion (Cappedocia, modern Turkey), in the Christian family of Proheresy and Eulogia Already in early childhood, his parents noticed a talent for singing in their son and sent him to the church, to the church choir When Theodosius turned 27 years old (c 451), he left his small homeland in search of spiritual improvement, heading to Jerusalem Not far from Antioch (Syria), the monk met with Simeon the Stylite This ascetic monk, who spent 37 years on the pillar in fasting and prayer, had the gift of foreseeing the future He predicted great spiritual glory for the young man, blessed the chosen one of God for saving people from sin, for monastic feat In Jerusalem, the monk visited with reverence the holy places mentioned in the Gospel (the birth of Jesus Christ, life, martyrdom) After 30 years of hermit life in a cave where, according to legend, the Magi lived, Theodosius was looking for a place where he could settle and found a monastery He took with him a censer with unlit coal and incense The saint stopped where the coal flared up by itself In this cave he founded a cell, began to pray and fast Soon monks from all over the world began to flock to the monk For each nation, Theodosius determined a place where services were held in Georgian, Armenian, Greek and other languages On the day of the Holy Eucharist, all the brethren gathered together in church, where the service was held in Greek Meals, property, labor, hunger, and patience were common to everyone Theodosius was an example for everyone, a strict guardian of order and observance of the Charter of Basil the Great Over time, on the site of the small cell, the Lavra of Theodosius the Great was erected with many churches, hospitals, homes for wanderers and the elderly About 400 monks lived in the Lavra; it became the first communal monastery in Palestine For his hardships, labors, vigilance, and prayer, Theodosius received from God the gift of miracles: he could heal the sick, see and feel the needs of people turning to him at a distance, and foresee the future On January 24 (January 11, old style) at the age of 105 years (about 529), the monk departed to the Lord Before his death, Theodosius was seriously ill for a whole year, without getting out of bed The body of the saint was buried in the cave of the Magi, then the relics were transferred to Jerusalem, next to the Holy Sepulcher