In Herakleion of Pontus, the place where Saint Theodore the General was martyred, near his hometown of Euchaita, there was an attack of Ishmaelite pirates and many people were taken prisoner. Among the prisoners was the only child of a widow.
The widow cried inconsolably and went every day to the Church of the Great Martyr Theodore and begged him:
"I, my Saint Theodore, have entrusted my child to you from the beginning. And every year I celebrated your memory and did a liturgy to protect him. Now I am destitute and I have nowhere to bow my head. That is why I ask you, my Saint Theodore, to free him. I, the unfortunate one, would like to have some consolation too. You can do it for me, because you were martyred for the Master Christ and whatever you ask of Him, He gives it to you."
Every day and night the woman prayed to Saint Theodore for a long time, until the feast of the Saint came. Then she wanted to do his liturgy and celebrate the Saint, as she always did.
The widow cried inconsolably and went every day to the Church of the Great Martyr Theodore and begged him:
"I, my Saint Theodore, have entrusted my child to you from the beginning. And every year I celebrated your memory and did a liturgy to protect him. Now I am destitute and I have nowhere to bow my head. That is why I ask you, my Saint Theodore, to free him. I, the unfortunate one, would like to have some consolation too. You can do it for me, because you were martyred for the Master Christ and whatever you ask of Him, He gives it to you."
Every day and night the woman prayed to Saint Theodore for a long time, until the feast of the Saint came. Then she wanted to do his liturgy and celebrate the Saint, as she always did.
"But how can I, the unfortunate one, celebrate you with joy, my Saint Theodore, since my child is not here either. I beg you, Saint of God, bring him to me. If you want, you can do it."
These are the things she said before the icon of the Saint with tears, at the same time she was doing the liturgy.
The Saint listened to her and immediately performed his miracle. At the time they were chanting, the Priests and the people, suddenly the child appeared in the middle of the church on a white horse! Saint Theodore brought him! The faithful also heard the clop of the horse's hooves. And the widow's son told them then, that the Saint grabbed him from the midst of the Hagarenes and brought him. Who can now describe the joy of that mother, but also of the whole church? Everyone then praised God and the Great Martyr Theodore.
These are the things she said before the icon of the Saint with tears, at the same time she was doing the liturgy.
The Saint listened to her and immediately performed his miracle. At the time they were chanting, the Priests and the people, suddenly the child appeared in the middle of the church on a white horse! Saint Theodore brought him! The faithful also heard the clop of the horse's hooves. And the widow's son told them then, that the Saint grabbed him from the midst of the Hagarenes and brought him. Who can now describe the joy of that mother, but also of the whole church? Everyone then praised God and the Great Martyr Theodore.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
