Saint Theodore Stratelates (7 February): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

St Theodore Stratelates, one of the Great Martyrs (Megalo-Martyrs) of the Eastern Church, stands among the most honored soldier-saints of Christendom. According to Butler’s Lives of the Saints, St Theodore was a Roman general and governor under Emperor Licinius, who glorified God by his martyrdom for the Christian faith. Honored alongside St George, St Demetrius, St Procopius, and St Theodore Tyro, St Theodore Stratelates was distinguished above many martyrs as a principal patron of Christian warriors. He governed the region of Pontus and resided in Heraclea of Pontus, where he ultimately gave his life for Christ, being beheaded on February 7, AD 319, by order of Licinius. The Greeks commemorated both the day of his martyrdom and the translation of his relics, which were conveyed according to his own wishes to Euchaita, later known as Theodoropolis, a major pilgrimage site throughout the East. His shrine drew pilgrims from across the Christian world, and emperors attributed military victories to his heavenly patronage. The Republic of Venice held St Theodore Stratelates in singular veneration. Before the translation of St Mark’s relics, St Theodore was the original patron of Venice, and his statue still stands today on one of the great pillars in St Mark’s Square. His relics are honored in Venice, having been brought from Constantinople in the 13th century. This video presents the traditional Catholic account of St Theodore the General, drawn from Butler and ancient Greek sources — free from modern revisionism — preserving the heroic witness of a soldier who chose Christ over empire. 📅 Feast Day: February 7 ⚔️ Patron Saint of Soldiers and Warriors 📖 Source: Lives of the Saints – Rev. Alban Butler 0:00 Introduction – Butler’s Lives of the Saints 0:20 February 7 – St Theodore Stratelates 0:27 The Megalo-Martyrs of the Eastern Church 0:35 St Theodore Among the Great Soldier Saints 0:49 His Role as Roman General and Governor 0:59 Heraclea of Pontus – City of His Martyrdom 1:08 Martyrdom Under Emperor Licinius (AD 319) 1:26 Greek Feast Days and Translation of Relics 1:44 Translation of Relics to Euchaita 1:55 Theodoropolis and Eastern Pilgrimages 2:11 Imperial Victory Attributed to St Theodore 2:24 Rebuilding of His Shrine 2:28 St Theodore and the Republic of Venice 2:46 Statue of St Theodore in St Mark’s Square 2:53 Relics Honored in Venice 3:09 Final Historical Accounts https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/february/st-theodorus-of-heraclea-m/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 LBRY.tv --- https://lbry.tv/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 UGETube - https://videos.utahgunexchange.com/@Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 BrandNewTube - https://brandnewtube.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium ▶ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 ▶ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #StTheodore #StTheodoreStratelates #GreatMartyr #CatholicSaints #LivesOfTheSaints #February7 #SoldierSaint #WarriorSaint #ChurchHistory #CatholicTradition #ChristianMartyr #SaintBiography #CatholicMasculin