Kontakion in the Second Tone In courage of soul, and furnished with the arms of faith, thou tookest in hand the word of God as though a spear and didst put thy foe to flight, thou great boast of martyrs, O Theodore; now together with them, O Saint, cease not to entreat Christ our God for all of us.

Theodore the Commander and Great Martyr

Reading from the Synaxarion:

The holy Martyr Theodore was from Euchaita of Galatia and dwelt in
Heraclea of Pontus. He was a renowned commander in the military, and the
report came to the Emperor Licinius that he was a Christian and
abominated the idols. Licinius therefore sent certain men to him from
Nicomedia, to honor him and ask him to appear before him. Through them,
however, Saint Theodore sent back a message that it was necessary for
various reasons, that Licinius come to Heraclea. Licinius, seeing in
this a hope of turning Saint Theodore away from Christ did as was
asked of him.

When the Emperor came to Heraclea, Saint Theodore met him with honor,
and the Emperor in turn gave Theodore his hand, believing that
through him he would be able to draw the Christians to the worship of his
idols. Seated upon his throne in the midst of the people, he publicly
bade Theodore offer sacrifice to the gods. But Theodore asked that
the emperor entrust him with the most venerable of his gods, those of
gold and silver, that he might take them home and himself attend upon
them that evening, promising that the following day he would honor
them in public. The Emperor, filled with joy at these tidings, gave
command that Theodore's request be fulfilled.

When the Saint had taken the idols home, he broke them in pieces and
distributed the gold and silver to the poor by night. The next day a
centurion named Maxentius told Licinius that he had seen a pauper pass by
carrying the head of Artemis. Saint Theodore, far from repenting of this,
confessed Christ boldly. Licinius, in an uncontainable fury, had the Saint
put to many torments, then crucified. While upon the cross, the holy
Martyr was further tormented -- his privy parts were cut off, he was
shot with arrows, his eyes were put out, and he was left on the cross
to die. The next day Licinius sent men to take his corpse and cast
it into the sea; but they found the Saint alive and perfectly whole.
Through this, many believed in Christ. Seeing his own men
turning to Christ, and the city in an uproar, Licinius had Theodore
beheaded, about the year 320. The Saint's holy relics were returned to his
ancestral home on June 8, which is also a feast of the Great Martyr
Theodore.

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
In truth enlisted with the King of the Heavens, thou didst become
for Him a noble commander, O trophy-bearer and Great Martyr Theodore.
With the weaponry of faith didst thou arm thyself wisely and
didst utterly destroy all the hordes of the demons, as a triumphant
athlete of the Lord; wherefore we ever do faithfully call thee blest.