Our Righteous Father Theodosios the Cenobiarch
Commemorated January 11
St Theodosios had Cappadocia as his homeland. He lived during the years of Leo of Thrace, who reigned from 457 to 474 AD. The Saint established in the Holy Land a great communal monastery, wherein he was the shepherd of many monks. While St Sabbas was the head of the hermits of Palestine, St Theodosios was governor of those living the cenobitic life, for which reason he is called the Cenobiarch. Together with St Sabbas, towards whom he cherished a deep brotherly love in Christ, he defended the whole land of Palestine from the heresy of the Monophysites. The heresy was championed by the Emperor Anastasius and might very well have triumphed in the Holy Land without the opposition of these two great monastic fathers and their zealous defence of the holy Synod of Chalcedon. Having lived for 103 years, he reposed in peace.
Dismissal Hymn (Plagal of Fourth Tone)
With the streams of thy tears, you cultivated the barrenness of the desert; and by thy sighings from the depths, you beared fruit a hundredfold in labours; and you became a luminary, shining with miracles upon the world, O Theodosios our righteous Father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.
Kontakion (Plagal of Fourth Tone)
To you, the Champion LeaderA being planted in the courts of Christ thy Lord and God, with holy virtues thou delightfully didst blossom forth and multiplied your children amid the desert, who were watered with the showers of thy fervent tears, O chief shepherd of the godly sheepfold of our God. Hence we cry to you, "Rejoice, O Father Theodosios".