Prince Theodore (Amir Tadros El Shatebi)
During the first few centuries of Christianity, martyrdom was a fact of life for those
who confessed their faith in Jesus Christ. Persecutions raged over the whole Roman
Empire; some were widespread while others were confined to local area B u Egypt
gave more martyrs than any other country in the world, and thus our fathers became
a living example on how to be a faithful member in the Church of Christ.
During the reign of Emperor Lucinius, the ruler of the Eastern Provinces of the
Roman Empire, Prince Theodore El Shatebi was martyred (20th Abib,320 AD). His
courage and endurance prompted thousands of people to adopt Christianity.
Prince Theodore was born in 281 in Achaea, a port city, on the Black Sea. Later, he
lived in Herculea, in Asia Minor. His father John was a Christian Egyptian from a city
called Shateb in Upper Egypt. The Father was a soldier in the Roman army. He went
to Antioch to fight against the Persians. And because he was a man of courage he
was given the prince's daughter Oussawaia to be his wife. Oussawaia gave birth to a
child and named him Theodore. In the meantime Oussawaia tried 8c hard to attract
her husband John to Idol worshiping, but John had a strong faith in our Lord Jesus.
Nevertheless, his wife used to derogate him by saying that her father the prince
bought him as a slave and gave him a princess (herself) for a wife, and that he was
not grateful. John felt always humiliated and not welcome in his own house. He used
to pray and ask for God's help and guidance. In his sleep, he saw a vision. An angel
appeared to him and said, "Do not be afraid John. Leave your pagan wife, and return
to your country. Do not worry about your son Theodore. He will become a great
Christian, and because of his strong faith, thousands will believe in Lord Jesus."
John left his house and went back to Egypt, but he never stopped praying for his
son. On the other hand, Theodore was always sad when he learned that his father
had been kicked out of the house because of his faith in our Lord Jesus. One day he
told his mother that his father's God was crucified to save the world, but her idol was
80 weak that it could not even defend itself. Then he pushed the idol to the floor and
the statue broke into pieces. A bad spirit came out of the idol in the form of a black
giant and burned into smoke in front of them. Prince Theodore was baptized by a
priest called Oliganos at the age of fifteen. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and
because of his boldness and courage in the battles, he became very famous. When
Diocletian heard about him, he appointed him a commander over five hundred
knights, and called him, Prince Theodore the Esphehlar (Brave Commander).
One day after Prince Theodore and his soldiers had fought a fierce battle in the
desert, they ran out of water, and were about to die from thirst. Prince Theodore
prayed earnestly and said, "My Lord Jesus who gave the Israelites water from the
solid rock, please quench our thirst," And suddenly, a strong wind blew, and heavy
rain started falling. After the soldiers drank as much as they wanted, they knelt down
before the Prince, and said, "Blessed is your True God Jesus, who answered your
prayer with great might." On that day they were all baptized in Jesus' name.
Later, an angel of the Lord appeared to Theodore and told him to travel to Egypt to
see his father. The prince was very happy to learn that his father was still alive. He
took some of his faithful soldiers and sailed to Alexandria. Then they walked to
Elbehna and went straight to the church of Shateb to ask about the prince's father,
John. At that time the father was old and was lying sick in bed. Nevertheless, it was
a very emotional reunion. Five days later, the father died, and the prince buried him.
Theodore told the people of that city that his wish was to be buried beside his father,
because he knew that he would soon die as a martyr. Prince Theodore left Egypt,
and went back to Antioch. After his departure, the Egyptians built a pillar on the River
Nile's bank. On top of the pillar they hung the picture of the saint, whom they loved.
Shortly after, Prince Theodore went to fight the Persians and with him there was
another saint called Prince Theodore E1 Mishriky. In the battlefield, the Archangel
Michael appeared to encourage and support them. After they defeated the enemy,
The Emperor proclaimed Prince Theodore EL Shatebi to be the Hero of the Roman
Empire, and appointed him a ruler of the city of Otichos, In Otichos a demon
possessed dragon (maybe a large crocodile) lived in the nearby mountains. The
people feared that dragon very much to the point that they used to throw children to
him to satisfy his appetite. At that time, they took two children, from a Christian
widow, to offer them as a sacrifice to the great dragon. The woman wept and prayed
to God to save her children. Then, she heard a voice saying, "Don't be afraid.
Theodore is capable of saving your children." After the saint heard the woman's
story, he set of immediately to kill the dragon. On his horse, he fought the dragon for
an hour. Then, Michael the Archangel appeared to him and helped him until the
dragon was killed. The people of the city were very happy to get rid of the evil
dragon, and many were baptized in the name of Lord Jesus Christ. The idols' priests
complained to Emperor Lucinius, who ordered St. Theodore to renounce Christ, or
face death. When the saint refused to offer sacrifices to the idols, he was tortured in
many cruel ways, but the Archangel Michael used to appear to comfort him, and
remind him of Jesus' promise, and the eternal glory that is waiting for him. At the
end, the king ordered the soldiers to cut his head by the sword and to burn the body.
The saint prayed, "My Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, accept my spirit, and
protect my body from the fire, 80 that everyone may know that" You are the real
God. To You is the power and the glory forever." Suddenly the Lord of Glory Himself
appeared to the Prince in a cloud. He told him, "My beloved Theodore, come to your
eternal rest in the Kingdom of Heaven. You have been crowned with the great crown
of martyrdom. The fire will not burn your body, for miracles and wonders will be
performed through your blessed body, and also through the mentioning of your
name." After Phnce Theodore died, his mother Oussawaia earned his body to Egypt,
and buried it beside his father's, in the city of Shateb.
Today, more than ever miracles do happen through the intercession of this great
saint. May the prayers and the blessings of Pnnce Theodore the Martyr be with us