Image of the Suffering of Theodore

The narrative of the struggle and the power that was wrought from you. For the people of the land, the emperor Anastasius told the story of Theodore. Read the glory of your wonders. Sweet is the memory of the martyr, for it sweetens the palate. For the book of grace and power, be for me a teacher. O from the glory of your face, the heart of Satan trembled. By his counsel, from this one until John he was exiled. For the Lord of the East, he bowed down to worship as if to an idol. Theodore, over my enemy, your heart stood and desired. So that they might not see me, he raised a heavy stone. O one whom an angel of heaven counseled in a vision. He spoke the word of faith and righteousness in the likeness of your honored father. Do not listen to the counsel of iniquity from the voice of the wicked from you. Counsel me, Theodore, as I follow your path. Without your God, I would not know another God. O from the great idol that was shattered. When on your face he saw the seal of holy baptism. Theodore, Christ who slaughtered the sacrifice of the Sabbath. For Belhor, he would not join you with your kingdom. Where is the light of your glory and his glory, darkness?

O you who were strong, who were appointed chief of the free in Antioch, from the city of martyrs who were glorious. Theodore, the servant of the bearer of the cross of the Litostra, strengthen me in the time of weakness and the hour of great affliction, so that the world may not cease to recount his deeds. O you who rose up to confront the enemy with the sword, who without a sword slew thousands of barbarian fighters. Theodore the mighty, if I have trusted in you always, may the killing of my enemies not be incomplete, and may not one of them be left behind. O you who saved the widow from the burden of the lawsuit, so that her children might not be deceived by the counsel of the wicked. Theodore the sweet, the flower of the garden of suffering, may your intercession save me from what I fear at the hour, so that before the time, the path of death may not go its way. O you who summoned Anastasius and Ausya to see the deeds of your struggle in the midst of the arena of Antioch. Theodore, adorned with grace and appearance, summon me into your inheritance, the kingdom of Christ the righteous, and for my soul, my love, take it.

O Theodore, who endured the blow of the rod from the hand of a hundred free men until the hour of evening from the stake, while there you were pierced in the neck by your blood, a sea. Your precious bone became like a potsherd. May the rod of the power of righteousness be before me for the enemy. O you who sat upon the throne of suffering of bronze, until like fire your entire form became ash. Theodore, sweet, the intoxicating wine of faith, lead me out from the valley of sorrow at the time of the feast of Moses the judge, as the good Israelites went out from the land of Egypt. O you who accepted the cutting of the neck by the sword after great struggle. Theodore, noble, chief of the thousands, your blood that sprinkled like water from a face, may it be for me the water of purification for a sinful man. O you whose body was adorned with gold by those who killed you, free men, for the sake of faith and righteousness. Give me a share from the woman of the pit of the abandoned. Remember my prostration before your greatness in joy, and give me the reward of the prostrators, Theodore the chief.

Hail to you, full of faith, who found refuge as another stands in worship of the wood, Theodore of the land of Egypt. Hail to you, the glory of the face of Moses, for he honored your face, Theodore, that the people might see you and gather where you are. Hail to you, son of the free man John, Theodore the martyr, when with a stone you covered the body of the idol and destroyed the foundation of pride. Hail to you, you loosed faith and with spiritual power those who were bound to the wood of Komol, Theodore, root of the deed. Hail to you, you shattered the head of the judge with the stone that struck you, an angel of heaven sent from the face of the Savior, Theodore, pierced in the tooth. Hail to you, the king feared your mind, Theodore, when they brought you to him in haste, the priests who hated you. Hail to you, the days of sun and moon in vain for if man judges, Theodore, righteousness is not, for on account of righteousness, change from place to place, give me the time of repentance.