Today’s Saint of the Day is Saint Theodosia of Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey), born in the 7th century.

Brief History

St. Theodosia of Constantinople was born in the seventh century in answer to her parents’ fervent prayers. She was raised in Constantinople’s Holy Martyr Anastasia Women’s Monastery. She became a nun after donating her remaining paternal fortune to the needy. Some of the inheritances went to the commissioning of gold and silver icons of St. Anastasia, the Savior, and Theotokos.

During Leo the Isaurian’s reign, he ordered the destruction of all religious images. A 400-year-old bronze image of the Savior hung over the Bronze Gates in Constantinople. Theodosia and other nuns rushed to safeguard the symbol and knocked down the ladder with the soldier. In 730, Patriarch Anastasius was stoned while trying to pull down the icon of Christ.

Emperor Leo ordered the beheading of the nuns. This icon-loving saint was jailed. She received 100 lashes every day for a week. On the ninth day, she was dragged across the city and beaten. Eventually, a soldier stabbed her in the neck with a ram’s horn, and she died.

The holy virgin martyr’s remains were carefully buried by Christians at the St. Euphemia Monastery in Constantinople, near a region named Demokratis. Many ill people were healed at St. Theodosia’s grave.

Fun Facts

• St. Theodosia of Constantinople was a nun and martyr born to a noble family.
• She was also known as Theodosia Konstantinoupolitissa or simply Teodosia.
• St. Theodosia of Constantinople was a seventh and eighth-century Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic saint and martyr.
• Her feast day is celebrated on July 18 for the Roman Catholic Church and May 29 for the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches.
• He was buried at the church of Hagia Euphemia, which is located in the Dexiokratianai neighborhood of Constantinople.
• The church of Hagia Euphemia was renamed in honor of Saint Theodosia in the 14th century.
• Numerous miracles of healing took place at St. Theodosia’s tomb.
• In 1306, the fame of St. Theodosia of Constantinople was increased by the recovery of a deaf mute.