E04625: The presbyter Chrysippus of Jerusalem composes the Encomium and Miracles of *Theodoros (soldier and martyr of Amasea and Euchaita, S00480), which he delivers during a festival in Jerusalem. He recounts the martyrdom of the saint, and twelve miracles which present Theodoros primarily as an avenger of theft; most of the stories take place at the saint's shrine in Pontus (northern Asia Minor), revealing aspects of its life; one miracle tells of a shrine to Theodoros in Constantinople. Written in Greek, probably in Jerusalem, 455/479.

Chrysippus presbyter of Jerusalem, Encomium and Miracles of Theodore (CPG 6706, BHG 1765c)

Summary:

P. 52-57. The author preaches before an audience of clerics, and intends to praise the martyr, even though he has no shrine in their region. His speech comprises the martyr’s story of martyrdom and an account of his miracles. Chrysippus’ account of the martyrdom summarises the story of the extant Martyrdom of Theodoros the Recruit (E02052).

p. 58-79. The second part of the sermon is dedicated to the saint’s miracles. The miracles provide the proof that death is for a saint the passage into posthumous life. Theodore’s first miracle was the cleansing of his burial site in Pontus from demons. The martyr stopped there, while he was being taken for execution, and his prayers caused the cleansing of the haunted place. The martyr chose it as his resting place and, right up to the present, demoniacs who approach the place are immediately delivered from the spirits that possess them. The martyr performs innumerable cures and constantly appears in visions wearing military armour. The beneficiaries of his miracles bring several gifts and dedications to the shrine.

Μικρὰ δὲ ἄρα προσειπεῖν καιρὸς καὶ περὶ τῆς προρρηθείσης τοῦ μάρτυρος ἱερᾶς αὐλῆς, ἣν ἀντὶ κοινοῦ προτειχίσματος, ἀντὶ κοινοῦ λιμένος κέκτηνται πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τὰ κατὰ τὸν Πόντον, λέγω τόν ποτε ἄξενον, νῦν δὲ φιλόξενον, διὰ τὸ πᾶσι προτείνειν χεῖρα τὸν μάρτυρα τοῖς πανταχόθεν προστρέχουσιν. Ἐκείνῃ τοίνυν, ὡς καὶ τῶν μακαρίων αὐτοῦ λειψάνων ὅλον ἐχούσῃ τὸν θησαυρὸν πλεονεκτεῖν εἰκότως, καὶ τῇ τῶν σεμνολογημάτων φιλοτιμίᾳ περίεστιν, ἧς πρῶτον μὲν θαῦμα μέγιστον ἡ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῶν δαιμόνων μετοίκησις. Ἦν μὲν γὰρ πρῶτον τὸ χωρίον πνευμάτων πολυειδῶν μεστὸν κατὰ τὴν Ἠσαΐου φωνήν· „ἐχιδνῶν ἐννοσσευόντων, ὀνοκενταύρων ἀσμενιζόντων τὴν ἐπ’ ἐκείνου διατριβήν“. 59. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰς τὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου τελείωσιν ὁ γενναῖος οὗτος ἀγόμενος μίαν ἐν αὐτῷ νύκτα διεκαρτέρησε τῆς ὥρας ἀναγκασάσης τοὺς ἄγοντας, τοῦτο καὶ εὐθὺς ἤρκεσε τῷ χωρίῳ πρὸς καθαρισμὸν καὶ ἀφορμὴν ἔδωκε ταύτην εἰς τὸ μετὰ ταῦτα τὴν παστάδα δέξασθαι. Δι’ ὃ καὶ ἅμα τις προσεγγίσῃ τοῖς τῆς παστάδος ἐκείνης ὅροις τῶν πνεύματι φαύλῳ συνεχομένων, παραχρῆμα τὸ πνεῦμα πολλῇ σπουδῇ δραπετεῦον ἀφίπταται, πάντως ἐπειδὴ μάστιξι χαλεπαῖς αὐτὰ διὰ τῶν προσευχῶν ὁ μάρτυς ἐξήλασεν, ὥστε καὶ νῦν αὐτοῖς τὴν τοῦ τόπου θέαν πόρρωθεν ἔτι προβάλλεσθαι τὴν τῶν οἰκείων κακῶν ἀνάμνησιν.

Ἀλλὰ τίς ἂν ἐξήγγειλε καὶ τὰ ἐν παντοδαποῖς νοσήμασιν ἐπ’ ἐκείνῃ ἰάματα, τὰς ἐν ἁπάσαις ταῖς πάντων θλίψεσιν ἀντιλήψεις, τὰς ὀπτασίας τάς τε νυκτερινὰς καὶ μεθημερινάς, ἐν αἷς μετὰ ὁπλιτικῆς καθορᾶται ἀεὶ σκευῆς, οὐκ ἀπαξιῶν τὸ στρατιωτικὸν πρόσχημα οὐδὲ νῦν, εἰ καὶ τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐγγέγραπται. Τίς δέ, τίς ἂν τοὺς δήμους ἐξαριθμήσειε, τούς τε ἐκεῖσε ἐφισταμένους διηνεκῶς, τούς τε ἐκεῖθεν ἐπαναστρέφοντας, τοὺς ὑπὲρ ὧν εὖ πάσχουσιν εὐγνωμονοῦντας τὰς ἀμοιβάς, ἐφ’ ὧν καὶ ἐκεῖνο πληροῦται τὸ ψαλμικόν· „πάντες οἱ κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ οἴσουσι δῶρα“. Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ τῶν κατὰ μέρος ἁπανταχοῦ τεθαυματουργημένων τῷ μάρτυρι εἰς τὰ ἐξαρκοῦντα, καθάπερ ἔφην, πρὸς τὸ τοῦ λόγου μέτρον ἐπιλεξάμενος, τούτων παρέξομαι τὴν διήγησιν.

‘It is, then, time to say a few things also about the aforementioned holy precinct which all the provinces of the Pontus – that is the Sea that once was Inhospitable, but now Welcoming [the Euxine Sea] – possess as a common bulwark or shared haven, because the martyr extends his hand to all those who resort to him from every place. To that precinct, then, is reserved the privilege of having the entire treasure of his blessed remains, and a place of honour in our words of praise. Its first and greatest miracle was the expulsion of the demons. The place had indeed been initially full of spirits of various kinds, as, in the words of Isaiah, vipers had made nests and centaurs disgraced any sojourn there [a very loose paraphrase of Isaiah 34:11]. Now, when this brave man was being taken towards the consummation of his martyrdom, one night he stayed there, because time had constrained those who were transferring him to stop there. That then was enough for the cleansing of the site and provided the reason for him to subsequently acquire this as his resting place. For this reason, if one of those afflicted by a foul spirit approaches the boundaries of that resting place, the spirit immediately escapes and flies away. Clearly, because the martyr by his prayer had evicted them with dreadful scourges, even now the view alone of the place from afar recalls to them the memory of their own woes.

But who could proclaim the cures of all manner of ailments, which occur there? His assistance in every man’s miseries, the visions, by both day and night, in which he is always seen with the paraphernalia of an infantry man? For even now he does not disdain the military attire, even though he has been conscripted among the heirs of the kingdom of heavens. And who could enumerate the throngs that constantly travel to and from that place, full of gratitude for the benefactions they receive? By them is fulfilled the phrase of the Psalm that says: Let all around him bring gifts to him. [Ps. 76:11]. For this reason, making a selection among the various wonders which have been performed by the martyr in all places, I shall recount, as I have said, as much as will suffice for the length of my talk.’

Miracle 1 (59-62). A devotee of Theodoros has a young son and a donkey, and lends them to a certain man who has requested them for a brief journey. They travel from land to land, and the man sells the boy to the Ismaelites as a slave. Distraught by the loss of his son, the father refrains from celebrating the saint’s feast. Theodoros appears to him in a vision asking about his absence. The man protests about his misfortune and the saint’s failure to protect his son. A second festival passes, and the same happens. In the meantime, the boy has been made a shepherd by his masters. Theodoros appears to him, as a soldier with two horses, and brings him back to his father, feeding him with food from his pouch during the journey. The boy is now an old man and serves as a priest. He still recounts the story.

Miracle 2 (62-64). A soldier steals a chicken from a poor woman who intends to offer it to the martyr. Soon his valuable military horse dies. Realising his fault, the soldier brings two chickens to the shrine and, complaining about his unfair punishment (a horse for a chicken), he requests that his horse be restored to him. The martyr appears to the head of the shrine, instructing him to give the soldier a horse which had been recently dedicated to the shrine.

Miracle 3 (64-65). This story recounts the miraculous revelation of a man who had stolen a precious silver dish from a silversmith. The saint reveals the culprit, but instructs that he should not be punished.

Miracle 4 (65-68).
Δύο μάρτυρες καὶ ὁμότροποι καὶ συνήθεις τοῦ μάρτυρος μίαν ἔλαχον οἰκεῖν αὐλήν.
‘Two martyrs, both peers and friends of our martyr, happen to inhabit the same precinct.’

There is a shrine of two martyrs who were friends and colleagues of Theodoros (i.e. probably also soldier martyrs). Certain notable people of the land entrust the head cleric of that shrine, a holy man, with the keeping of some precious jewels. When they return to take them back, the priest cannot find them, and they accuse him of theft. In fact, one of his servants, the son of an evil man, had stolen them. As the priest is taken to court to be tried, he prays to the two martyrs and Theodoros. They appear to the culprit in a dream threatening him, but he does not repent. The vision is repeated, till Theodoros, indignant, strikes the man in the side with his sword. The man asks to be taken to the church where he confesses his deed and returns the jewels.

Miracle 5 (68-69). A man afflicted by poverty and grave debts, prays to Theodoros to allow him to steal one of the precious vessels of his shrine, so that he may sell it, repay his debts, and return it later. The saint not only allows him to remove a vessel and escape unnoticed, but he even assists him in trading the vessel profitably. The man becomes wealthy and returns to the shrine, where he confesses his act and fulfils his vow.

Miracle 6 (69-70). Someone dedicates a precious knife at the shrine, which a boy attempts to steal, but is miraculously prevented by the martyr. The boy complains and implores the saint to let him take the object, since it is of no use to him. Theodoros appears to one of the priests and instructs him to give the knife to the boy.

Μάχαιράν τις περικαλλῆ κεχρυσωμένην προσήνεγκε. Παῖς δὲ παρατυχὼν καὶ θεωρήσας ἐφ’ ἑνὸς τῶν θυσιαστηρίων κειμένην ἐρασθεὶς τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς προσῆλθεν ἀκάκῳ τρόπῳ λαβεῖν ἐκείνην βουλόμενος.

‘Some person offered a very beautiful gilded knife. A boy, who was visiting and saw it lying on one of the altars, loved its beauty and approached in a harmless manner, wishing to take it.’

Miracle 7 (70-71). During the saint’s festival a man entrusts a sum of money to a person who then refuses to return it to its owner. The latter prays to Theodoros. Soon the culprit appears in the crowd, being physically tortured and held up in the air by an invisible power. He confesses his act.

Miracle 8 (71-72). A group of men attempts to break into the shrine and steal the precious vessels. They manage to acquire keys for the shrine’s doors, and stay inside till the evening. They take as much as they can carry, and open the doors to leave. Believing that they are running away, they miraculously remain inside the shrine and keep running around, till they are found by the keepers in the morning. The saint instructs the head of the shrine not to punish them, but to provide them with as much food as they need.

Miracle 9 (72). A soldier comes to pray a