October 2, 2017

Synaxarion of Saint Theophilos the Confessor

St. Theophilos the Confessor (Feast Day - October 2)

Verses

"Before Me you had an honorable end,"
God said to you, the friend Theophilos.

He was a monk during the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741). Seeing the godlessness of this tyrant, and the war he waged against the holy icons, the friend of God Theophilos boldly stood before him. And he rebuked him with great boldness, calling him an atheist and lawless and the forerunner of the Antichrist.

With these words he stimulated his rage, and was harshly beaten by him. Then he was put in prison and made to starve, that is he was left hungry and thirsty for a period of time. After this he was sent into exile. There with thanksgiving, he departed to the Lord.