The Holy Martyr Theodota, a native of Cappadocia, suffered in
the city of Nicea during the reign of the emperor Alexander Severus
(222-235). At this time the governor of Cappadocia was a certain
Symblicius. They told him that a rich woman named Theodota was
confessing Christ. The governor summoned Theodota and for a long time
urged her to turn from the true Faith.
Seeing the futility of his
attempts, he gave Theodota over to torture. They suspended her and
began to rake her with iron hooks, but she did not feel any pain. Then
they put her in chains and led her away to a prison cell.
After
eight days, when they led the saint out for new tortures, only faint
traces of the tortures already endured remained on her body. The
governor was amazed and asked, “Who are you?” The saint answered: “Your
mind is darkened, but if you were sober, then you would have realized
that I am Theodota.”
Symblicius commanded the martyr to be cast
into a red-hot furnace. Flames shot out from the furnace and scorched
those standing nearby, while those remaining unharmed shut the furnace
and scattered in fright. After a certain while, pagan priests came and
opened the furnace to scatter the ashes of the martyr, but they too were
burned by the flames. Those remaining unhurt saw St Theodota unharmed.
She stood in the midst of the flames between two youths in white
raiment, and was glorifying the Lord. This apparition so terrified the
pagans that they fell down as if dead. Later, they returned the saint to
prison.
The invincibility of the martyr gave Symblicius no
peace. He made a journey to Byzantium, on the return trip he stopped
over at Ancyra and tried to get the better of Theodota. He gave orders
to throw her all at once onto red-hot iron, but again the martyr
remained unharmed.
Then Symblicius gave orders that the saint be
taken to Nicea. There, in a pagan temple he wanted to compel her to
offer sacrifice to the idols, but through the prayer of the saint, the
idols fell and were shattered. The outraged governor gave orders to
stretch the martyr out and saw through her body, but here also the power
of God preserved the saint. The saw caused Theodota no harm, and the
servants became exhausted. Finally, they beheaded the saint. Bishop
Sophronius of Nicea buried her body.
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