St. Theodosius the Cenobiarch
St. Theodosius (c. 423-529) was born in the village of Mogarissos in Cappadocia and, after being blessed by St. Simeon the Stylite, settled in Palestine in a cave where tradition holds the Magi lodged after worshiping the newborn Christ.
Near Bethlehem he founded the first great cenobitic monastery of the Holy Land, which grew to some 700 monks and included hospitals, homes for the poor and aged, and churches serving Greeks, Georgians, and Armenians in their own languages. As archimandrite over all the communal monasteries of Palestine, he boldly defended the Council of Chalcedon against the Monophysite policies of Emperor Anastasius, suffering exile for the Orthodox faith, and reposed in peace at the age of 105.
If anyone does not receive the four Ecumenical Councils as the four Gospels, let him be anathema.
Troparion
By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! O our holy father Theodosius, pray to Christ our God to save our souls!
Kontakion
Planted in the courts of your Lord, you blossomed beautifully with virtue and increased your children in the desert, showering them with streams of your tears, O chief shepherd of the divine flock of God. Therefore we cry to you: Rejoice, Father Theodosius!
Saints around January 11
Get the full library
130+ saints, in your pocket
Their Lives, sayings and prayers, A to Z and by feast, with search. The Church calendar, the holy icons, and the saying of the day on your Home Screen. All in Axios! for iPhone, iPad and Android.