Virgin Martyr Theodora and Martyr Didymus the Soldier, of Alexandria
The Holy Martyrs Theodora the Virgin and Didymus the Soldier suffered for Christ during the persecution against Christians under the emperor Diocletian (284-305 AD), in the city of Alexandria in the year 304 AD.
There lived in Alexandria a maiden, Theodora, well-educated and of noble lineage. She avoided being seen in public to shrink from the eyes of men who desired her. In order to put to an end to the passionate desires of the men who sought to use her, Theodora professed her intention of preserving her chastity. She quenched their lust but not their wickedness: the men who once desired her began to inform against her. She was brought to trial before the pagans for her Christian faith. The prince subjected her to a long interrogation, tortured her for her faith, and then ordered that she be thrown into a brothel where the soldiers would have free access to her to indulge their carnal lusts. Theodora prayed fervently to God to save her from defilement, and a soldier called Didymus came to her and told her that he was a servant of Christ. He dressed her in his soldier's garb and himself in her dress, then let her out and remained in the brothel himself. He was seized and brought before the judge, where he acknowledged that he was a Christian and had saved Theodora and was now prepared to die for Christ. He was condemned to death and taken out to the place of execution. Theodora ran up to him there and cried out: 'Although you saved my honor, I did not ask you to save me from death. Yield the martyr's death to me!' Didymus replied: 'My beloved sister, do not hinder my death for Christ, nor the washing of my sins in my blood.' Hearing this exchange, the pagans condemned them both to death. They were beheaded and their bodies burned. They suffered with honor in Alexandria and received eternal wreaths of glory in the year 304 AD.
Virgin martyr Theodora portrays a model life for every Orthodox Christian youth desiring to live the faith and to preserve one’s chastity, because her commitment to live chastely was backed by knowing and living the faith. A determined character, she was not lured or swayed by the ungodly. Rather, she found her identity in her Savior. Holy martyr Didymus the Soldier, a brave example of sacrificial respect and honor for young men, hastened in response to the devastating order of the Emperor. He acted as brother and protector to Theodora, desiring to be martyred to preserve the chastity of his sister in Christ. So ought to be the life of Christian youths, committing their faith and chastity to God and willing to preserve each other’s purity to the extent of martyrdom.
St. Theophan the Recluse (1800s), in a homily to a group of nuns at a Convent which he oversaw, wrote: “For he who refuses to give in to passions and sinful desires does the same as he who refuses to bow down and worship idols. He who refused to worship idols was given over to external sufferings, while he who refuses to satisfy the passions actually wounds himself and forces his heart to suffer until the passions quiet down in him. Victory over passions is a self-inflicted spiritual martyrdom, which is performed invisibly in the heart but is nevertheless very painful.” (Kindling the Divine Spark, pp. 39)
In this world—in academic and social settings, Orthodox youth are presented daily with ample, devious opportunities to compromise our commitment to live faithfully. Because we know the faith, understand the faith, and live the faith, we stand brave, steadfast against the world. Let us take the life of holy martyrs Virgin Theodora and Didymus the Soldier as means to hike this mountain of the earthly life, that we might arrive to our destination in the Kingdom of Heaven, rewarded and crowned for keeping the faith and preserving our chastity.
Pray to the Lord on our behalf Holy Virgin Theodora and Holy Didymus the Soldier that He may forgive us our sins and strengthen us in this age.
The account of Virgin Theodora and Didymus the Solider is written by Saint Ambrose in his book II, “Concerning Virgins” and recounted by Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty in Encyclopedia of the Saints and Fathers of the Church (vo. 4). H.G. Bishop Youanis, the late Bishop of Gharbia, in his book, Paradise of the Spirit, Chapter 7 - The Life of Purity, tells the story of Martyrs Virgin Theodora and Didymus the Soldier as model examples of “two heroes who were martyred for the sake of the life of purity.”