Saint Theodora of Alexandria

The Prefect insisted again on the decree of the emperors; but the Saint always gave the same answer, then she added: "If you have them cut off a hand, an arm, my head, will it be I who will be guilty? Will it not rather be the one who commits this violence? I am united to God by the vow of virginity that I have made to Him; my body and my soul belong to Him: I abandon myself into His hands; He will know how to preserve my faith and my chastity." — The Prefect: "Remember your birth and do not cover your family with eternal disgrace." — Theodora: "Jesus Christ is the source of true honor; it is from Him that my soul draws all its beauty: He will be powerful enough to snatch His dove from the claws of the hawk." — The Prefect: "How I pity your blindness! Can you put your trust in a crucified man? Is there any reason to believe that He will defend your chastity in an infamous place?" — Theodora: "Yes, I believe and I firmly believe that this Jesus, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, will deliver me from the hands of those who h Ponce-Pilate Roman governor mentioned in the confession of faith of Theodora. ave conspired for my ruin, and that He will keep me pure and without stain. Judge, after that, if I can renounce Him."

The Prefect: "I have been listening to you with patience for a long time; but finally, if you persist in your obstinacy, I will have no more regard for you than for the lowest of slaves." — Theodora: "I abandon my body to you, as you are indeed its master; but as for my soul, it is in the power of God alone." — The Prefect: "Let her be given two slaps to cure her of her madness and to teach her to sacrifice to the gods." — Theodora: "By Jesus Christ, who is my protector, I will not sacrifice to demons, and I will never resolve to worship them." — The Prefect: "Must you force me to publicly inflict such an affront upon a girl of your station! You have reached the height of madness." — Theodora: "This holy madness, which makes us confess the living God, is true wisdom, and what you call an affront will be for me the beginning of an eternal glory." — The Prefect: "In the end, I am losing patience, and I am going to have the edict executed. I would make myself guilty of disobedience toward the emperors if I delayed any longer in punishing yours." — Theodora: "You fear displeasing a man; how can you make it a crime for me that I fear displeasing the sovereign Master of heaven and earth?" — The Prefect: "Do you not fear showing contempt for the ordinances of the emperors and abusing my patience? Well! I give you three days to think maturely about what you have to do; but once this term has expired, if I do not find you submissive, by the gods, I will have you exposed in a place of debauchery, so that no woman will be tempted to imitate you." — Theodora: "You only have to suppose the three days already expired, for I will not change my sentiment. There is a God who will take care of me. Do therefore what you please. If, however, you grant me the three days, I have a favor to ask of you: it is that no attempt be made upon my honor before you have rendered your judgment." — The Prefect: "That is just. Thus I order that Theodora be guarded for three days; I want no violence to be done to her, and for her to be treated in a manner consistent with her birth."

The three days having passed, the Prefect had Theodora brought to him. As he saw that she still persisted in her initial resolution, he said to her: "The fear of incurring the indignation of the emperors compels me to execute their orders. Take the path of sacrificing, or I shall pronounce the sentence. We shall see if your Jesus Christ, for whom you persist in your refusal to obey, will deliver you from the infamy to which you are about to be condemned." — Theodora: "Let that not worry you. The God who has been the guardian of my purity until now will make Himself its protector against the violence of any lost men who might wish to attempt it."

The sentence having been pronounced, Theodora was led to a place of debauchery. Upon entering, she raised her eyes to heaven and said: "Almighty God, Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, help your servant, and remove her from this infamous place. You who delivered Saint P eter from pr saint Pierre Apostle mentioned for the setting of the procession date. ison, without him having suffered any outrage, deign to be the protector and guardian of my chastity, so that everyone may recognize that I am yours."

Meanwhile, a troop of libertines rushed to the house; they already looked upon this innocent beauty as a prey that could not escape them; but Jesus Christ watched over the guard of his spouse, and he sent one of his servants to deliver her.

There was among the Christians of Alexandria a young man full of zeal for the glory of God: his name was Didymus . Burn Didyme A young Christian from Alexandria who saved Theodora before suffering martyrdom with her. ing with the desire to pull the Saint from danger, he dressed as a soldier and boldly entered the place where she was. Theodora, seeing him approach, felt all the blood in her veins turn to ice. She fled before him and ran through every corner of the place where she was confined. Didymus said to her: "Fear nothing, my sister; I am not what I appear to you, I am your brother in Jesus Christ: I have had recourse to this disguise to snatch you from this place. Give me your clothes and take mine. Save yourself then, and I will remain in your place." Theodora did what Didymus required of her; she dressed as a soldier, pulled a hat down over her eyes, and left without being recognized by anyone. Her liberator had recommended that she walk with her eyes lowered, without stopping, without speaking to anyone at all, and to affect the shameful demeanor and embarrassed haste of a man leaving such places. When she saw herself out of all danger, her soul took flight toward heaven, and she expressed her gratitude to the God who had just delivered her.

Some time later, a libertine entered and was extremely surprised to find a man instead of a woman. When he had heard the account of what had happened, he went out and went to inform his companions. The judge, informed of the matter, sent for the young man and asked his name. The latter replied that his name was Didymus. — The Prefect: "Who engaged you to do what you have done?" — Didymus: "God himself commanded me to do it." — The Prefect: "Before I have you put to the question, declare where Theodora is." — Didymus: "I swear to you that I know nothing about it. All I can tell you is that she is a true servant of God and that He has kept her pure and chaste for having confessed His Son, Jesus Christ." — The Prefect: "What is your status?" — Didymus: "I am a Christian and a freedman of Jesus Christ." — The Prefect: "Let him be given the question twice as hard as usual, to punish the excess of his insolence." — Didymus: "I pray you to execute punctually the orders of your masters regarding me." — The Prefect: "By the gods, you can expect to be tormented as you deserve, unless you sacrifice. Obedience is the only means that remains for you to obtain grace for your first crime." — Didymus: "I have already given you proof that I do not fear suffering for the cause of Jesus Christ. In acting as I did, I proposed two things to myself: to save a virgin from infamy, and to publicly confess the God whom I adore. I hope to emerge victorious from all the torments to which you may condemn me. The sight of the cruelest death will never determine me to sacrifice to demons." — The Prefect: "I order that, in punishment for his audacity, his head be cut off and his body be burned." — Didymus: "Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for not having rejected my vows, for having delivered Theodora, His servant, and for having judged me worthy of a double crown." In accordance with the judge's sentence, Didymus's head was cut off, and his body was burned. Here end the acts of the holy Martyrs.

Saint Ambrose, who recounts the story of Theodora, says that she ran to the place where Didymus was being executed, and that she wished to die in his place. He paints a beautiful picture of the pious contest that took place between them. Theodora confessed to Didymus that she was indebted to him for the preservation of her honor; but she added that she had not intended to yield her crown to him. "It is for my chastity," she said to him, "that you became my surety, not for my life; as long as my virginity was in danger, it was well that you answered for me. It is not so when my life is demanded; I am in a state to pay such a debt. Moreover, the sentence was rendered only because of me. The flight was the occasion of your death. I did not flee so as not to die, but so as not to be dishonored. My honor is no longer at risk. My body is capable of suffering for Jesus Christ."

Theodora and Didymus obtained what they desired; they were both beheaded; but Didymus won the palm of martyrdom first. He is counted among those who suffered under Diocletian in Alexandria, in 304. Both Saints are named in the Roman Martyrology und er April 2 Dioclétien Roman emperor under whom the martyrdom is said to have taken place. 8.

Saint Theodora is depicted veiled, to express either her confusion or the change of her garments.

We have substituted the Acts of the holy Mart Père Giry French hagiographer, author of the version of the narrative presented. yrs themselves for Father Giry's narrative, a portion of which was copied from public registers and the rest written by an eyewitness.