St Theodore of Sykeon (d. 613) hermit, ascetic, exorcist, and bishop
Early life
Theodore was born at Sykeon in
Galatia, the son of Maria. Maria with her mother and sister kept an inn
in the town, all three working also as prostitutes.
His father may have
been a circus artist, but he was not involved at all in his son's
upbringing.
Baptised Theodore (= gift of God), when he was six his
mother made him a gold belt and expensive clothes hoping he would go
into the service of the emperor at Constantinople.
But Theodore disliked
being at an inn and used to go off to stay overnight at a nearby chapel
of St George.
Here he felt more at home and developed an insight into
the world of holiness as well as a devotion to St George which he kept
up all his life.
Hermit, ascetic and exorcist
As an adolescent,
Theodore became a hermit. His grandmother would bring him fruit and
vegetables, which he ate sparingly.
He seemed to have developed a gift
of exorcising demons and perhaps because of this or because of his
asceticism, he was given the nickname "Iron Eater".
He wore an iron
girdle around his body.
To Jerusalem and back
Theodore was ordained a
priest at the youthful age of eighteen.
He then went off to Jerusalem to
visit the holy places.
While he was there, he received the monk's habit
and came home to resume his ascetic practices and exorcisms.
His mother
meanwhile had married a businessman of Ancyra and his aunt and sister
became nuns.
Bishop of Anastasiopolis
When the bishop of the
city of Anastasiopolis died, the residents asked archbishop Paul of
Ancyra to appoint Theodore in his place.
Theodore at first declined, but
later accepted.
He became famous as a miracle-worker, but after ten
years decided to leave administrative tasks to return to his life of
contemplation as a monk.
At this time he was invited by the emperor and
the patriarch to visit Constantinople where he miraculously cured the
emperor's son of elephantiasis.
He returned to Sykeon where he died on
May 5, 613.