Св. Теодор Тирон и св. Теодор Стратилат: раждане и развитие на култа до ХІІ век
St. Theordore Tiro and St. Theodore Stratelates: Origin and Development of the Cult until the 12th Century

Summary/Abstract: The article is an attempt to shed light on controversial issues related to the personality of St. Theodore Tiro (also known as St. Theodore of Amasea) and St. Theodore Stratelates, and the cult of the two military martyred saints. To this end, the author has revealed the complex mechanisms of its formation, determining the location and time of its appearance, as well as outlining its significance in the context of Christian pilgrimage in Asia Minor. Against the backdrop of the studied varied sources, St. Theodore Tiro and St. Theodore Stratelates emerge as individual military martyred saints. Chronologically, the life of the former is placed in the 4th century, while for the latter it is assumed that he was artificially created a martyr in the 9th century. The roots of the cult to the former saint and the latter are revealed in a specific geographical region in present-day Turkey – Çorum province in Turkey. They are in two towns just 35 km from one another – Euchaita (today Beyözü) and Euchaneia (the modern Çorum). The cults of St. Theodore Tiro and St. Theodore Stratelates are respectively related to Euchaita and Euchaneia, where they probably originated even in the 4th and the 9th century. The place of Euchaita and Euchaneia is determined among the holy places in Asia Minor visited by Christian pilgrims, complete with quotation of definitive sources about pilgrimage to Euchaita over the long period from the 5th to the 11th century, and to Euchaneia – in the 11th century. The author follows the development and distribution of the cult in Byzantium and across the Christian world in the first phase of the history of the cult of these saints: the period from its inception to the transfer of the holy remains to Constantinople (12th century). Throughout the entire period from the 4th to the 12th century the shrine in Euchaita emerges as the core of the cult of St. Theodore. From there, the cult spread to Constantinople very early and, starting from the 6th century, spread from East to West along various routes. St. Theodore Tiro – and later St. Theodore Stratelates – were among the patrons of the emperor and the imperial army. They were particularly venerated in the medieval Bulgarian capitals of Great Preslav and Turnovo, as well as in Serres – a city in which later the cults of the two saints blended. In the West, the cult of St. Theodore Tiro developed in Italy – in Rome and in cities and regions under Byzantine influence. In the 12th century it also reached Sicily where he is presented with St. Theodore Stratelates in compositions featuring military saints.

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