Saint Theodora from Alexandria
Date of celebration: 11/09
Osia Theodora came from Alexandria. She lived during the reign of King Zeno (474 - 490 AD) and was married to a pious man, Paphnutius. Theodora’s life was honest, virtuous and devoted to her husband. But the half-hearted devil, in a moment of Theodora’s weakness, secretly pushed her into adultery.
No one saw her. Nobody found out. She could, therefore, continue her life harmoniously with her husband. However, when he heard the words of the Gospel, with which the Lord teaches that “nothing is hidden, that is not born openly” (Luke, v. 17), that is, there is nothing hidden, that which will not become manifest in the future , she thought of the depth of her sin and wept bitterly. He then dressed as a man, went to a monastery and became a monk with the name Theodore.
There, day and night she repented and wept over her sin. After two years, he was accused of fornicating with a woman when a newborn baby was brought outside the door of the monastery.
Then Theodora took the infant and for seven whole years, outside the monastery with various hardships, she raised him as her own. When she returned to the monastery, her suffering body cooled down after a while. Then the monks, when they ascertained her gender, marveled and all together glorified God.
