Saints Theodore and Theophanes

Michael the Stammerer succeeded Leo the Armenian. This prince was considered to have no religion or, at most, to adhere to the Manichaean sect. At first, he affected a kind of neutrality between the Catholics and the iconoclasts. However, he had Saint Theodore put in prison and later sent him into exile. The ophilus, Théophile Byzantine iconoclast emperor, responsible for the torture of verses carved onto the faces of saints. his son, succeeded him in 829; he declared himself in favor of the heretics and persecuted the orthodox with fury. Theodore and his brother were mistreated again and relegated to the island of Aphusia. Two years later, they were brought back to Constantinople. The emperor had them stripped and beaten in his presence. They were struck with such violence that they were completely stunned and nearly fell at the prince's feet. They were led to prison, where they remained for a few days. As they still refused to communicate with the iconoclasts, the emperor ordered twelve iambic verses to be engraved on their foreheads and faces, the meaning of which is as follows: "These men appeared in Jerusalem as vessels of iniquity filled with superstitious errors, and were driven out for their crimes. Having fled to Constantinople, they did not renounce their impiety; they were driven out of there as well, after having their faces stigmatized."

Although the wounds covering their bodies were very inflamed and painful, they were bound to benches to have the iambics we have just mentioned engraved upon their faces. This operation, as long as it was cruel, was only interrupted by nightfall. They were taken back to prison, their faces covered in blood. Shortly after, they were exiled to Apamea, in Syria, where Saint Theodore died from his sufferings (c. 850). It is from the inscription of these iambics that he was surnamed Graptos, whi ch me Grapt Monk of Saint Sabas and confessor of the faith, surnamed Graptus because of the marks engraved on his face. ans, in Greek, marked or engraved. Theophanes survived him for some time. Meanwhile, the Empress Theodora, a zealous Catholic, governed the empire during the minority of her son, Michael. The holy Patriarch Methodius restored the veneration of holy images in 842. Theophanes was elected Bishop of Nicaea, in order to work more effectively to destroy a heresy over which he had already triumphed. He is named jointly with his brother in the Roman Martyrology. The Greeks honor Saint Theodore on this day, and Saint Theophanes on the 11th of October. They surname the l atter th le Poète Brother of Theodore, monk and hymnographer, who became Bishop of Nicaea after the persecution. e Poet, because of the sacred hymns he composed.

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