E01747: Gregory of Nyssa composes in the 380s his Encomion On *Theodoros (soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, S00480) which he delivers during a yearly festival held at his tomb shrine, probably in Euchaita of Pontus (north Anatolia). He recounts the saint’s martyrdom. Written in Greek in Pontus.

Gregory of Nyssa, On *Theodoros (CPG 3183, BHG 1760)

(page numbers are from the edition of Cavarnos, GNO X,1)

61. ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΝΥΣΣΗΣ
ΕΓΚΩΜΙΟΝ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΑΓΙΟΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΜΑΡΤΥΡΑ ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΝ

‘Gregory, bishop of Nyssa, Encomium on the holy great martyr Theodoros'

Ὑμεῖς ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λαός, ἡ ἁγία ποίμνη, τὸ Βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, οἱ πανταχόθεν ἀστικοί τε καὶ χωριτικοὶ συρρεύσαντες δῆμοι, πόθεν λαβόντες τὸ σύνθημα τῆς ὁδοῦ πρὸς τὸν ἱερὸν τοῦτον ἐδημαγωγήθητε τόπον; τίς ὑμῖν τῆς ἀφίξεως τῆς ἐνθάδε σπουδαίαν οὕτω καὶ ἐμπρόθεσμον ἀνάγκην ἐπέθηκε; καὶ ταῦτα ὥρᾳ χειμῶνος, ἡνίκα καὶ πόλεμος ἠρεμεῖ καὶ στρατιώτης τὴν πανοπλίαν ἀποσκευάζεται καὶ πλωτὴρ ὑπὲρ καπνοῦ τίθησι τὸ πηδάλιον καὶ γεωργὸς ἡσυχάζει τοὺς ἀροτῆρας βοῦς θεραπεύων ἐπὶ τῆς φάτνης; ἢ πρόδηλον, ὡς ἐσάλπισε μὲν ἐκ τῶν στρατιωτικῶν καταλόγων ὁ ἅγιος μάρτυς, κινήσας δὲ πολλοὺς ἐκ διαφόρων πατρίδων πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀνάπαυσιν καὶ ἑστίαν ἐκάλεσεν, οὐκ εἰς πολεμικὴν εὐτρεπίζων παρασκευήν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν γλυκεῖαν καὶ μάλιστα δὴ Χριστιανοῖς πρέπουσαν συνάγων εἰρήνην; οὗτος γάρ, ὡς πιστεύομεν, καὶ τοῦ παρελθόντος ἐνιαυτοῦ τὴν βαρβαρικὴν ζάλην ἐκοίμησε καὶ τὸν φρικώδη τῶν ἀγρίων Σκυθῶν ἔστησε πόλεμον δεινὸν αὐτοῖς ἐπισείσας καὶ φοβερὸν ἤδη βλεπομένοις καὶ πλησιάσασιν οὐ κράνος τρίλοφον οὐδὲ ξίφος εὖ τεθηγμένον καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον ἀποστίλβον, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀλεξίκακον καὶ παντοδύναμον σταυρὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὑπὲρ οὗ καὶ αὐτὸς παθὼν τὴν δόξαν ταύτην ἐκτήσατο.

'You people of Christ, the holy flock, the royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9), who have streamed together from everywhere, both from cities and villages: by whom have you been incited to your journey, and led to this holy place? Who has instilled into you the urge to come here, so urgently and at this particular time? And that in wintertime, when even war quietens down, the soldier takes off his armour, the seaman hangs the oar above the fire, and the farmer takes rest, tending his plough-oxen at their trough? It is indeed clear that the holy martyr from the military ranks sounded the trumpet, and, urging many people from various regions, he has called them to this own resting place and home, not equipping them for war preparation, but gathering them together for peace, which is sweet and most fitting to Christians. For it was he, as we believe, who last year stilled the barbarian storm and who brought to an end the horrible war of the savage Scythians, brandishing against them, to their horror and fear, as they had come visibly close, not a triple-crested helmet or a well-sharpened sword sparkling in the sunlight, but the evil-barring and almighty cross of Christ, for whom he had suffered and obtained this glory.’

61. A crowd of visitors from several regions has gathered to celebrate the memory of a soldier martyr, which is celebrated in winter. The saint is ascribed with having stopped a barbarian invasion during the previous year.

62. The martyrs enjoy a state of extreme honour, as their souls are in heaven and their bodily remains are held in great honour on earth, unlike the corpses and tombs of people who have died a common death.

63-64. Theodoros’ shrine is a beautifully built and decorated church, including a painted representation of his martyrdom, and his reliquary. People venerate it and take dust from it (see $E01748). No king or general has ever enjoyed such honours as this poor young recruit.

65-66. Theodoros comes from the East, and is brought to Anatolia by his military unit which is spending the winter there, when the persecution of Christians is decreed. Theodoros confesses his faith so openly and fearlessly that he is brought to trial before the provincial governor (ἡγεμὼν/praeses) and the military commander (ταξίαρχος/dux), who ask him why he disdains the decrees of the emperor Maximian. Theodoros bravely replies that he does not accept the false gods, and is ready to be tortured and die for Christ. A soldier mocks him, asking if his god has a son, like men do, but Theodoros returns the mockery referring to the mother of the gods.

67. The persecutors give Theodoros a period of leave to reconsider, during which he goes to Amaseia and sets fire to the temple of the Mother of the Gods. He publicly boasts his act in the town and is arrested and brought to trial.

68. As his answers are brave, his judges attempt to allure him with promises of high office and archpriesthood. Theodoros laughs at this, declaring that he regards pagan archpriests as the most miserable of all people, and deploring the fact that even the emperors dishonour their regal office by their pontifical title, turning themselves into cooks and butchers by their participation in sacrifices.

69. Enraged, the persecutors reproach Theodoros for his disrespect and blasphemy against the emperors. The martyr is tortured, but he endures bravely, singing Psalm 33. He is taken to gaol where miraculous visions of lights and singing crowds are seen around the saint during the night.

69. After several other events, Theodoros is condemned to be burned alive, and he thus leaves to the Church the legacy of his martyrdom’s memory, and his wonderworking shrine which is constantly flooded with visitors.

70-71. The sermon finishes with a long invocation for Theodoros to visit invisibly the festal assembly and to protect the region against the threat of invasion. He is urged to invite in his prayers on behalf of the area the founders of the local Churches, namely the apostles *Peter, *Paul, and *John the Evangelist.

Text: Cavarnos 1990, 59-71. Translation and summary: Efthymios Rizos