NOVEMBER 10, 2019 - "A MODEL FOR MONASTICS"

Monasticism has long been a respected lifestyle for men and women in our Church. Example after example can be given of those who willingly sacrificed wealth, political position, and social rank to submit themselves totally to Christ.

One such person was THEODORE THE STUDITE. He was born in Constantinople in 759 A.D. His family was a prominent one in the capital city and there is little doubt that Theodore could have ascended to a lofty rank in the Imperial Court of the Empire. Instead, he chose to enter a monastery, where his uncle was the Abbot. When his uncle passed away, Theodore was chosen to head the monastic community. He quickly became known as a great reformer, restoring many of the ancient monastic disciplines and practices that had been lost through the years.

Theodore also developed a reputation for defending the truer teachings of our Faith. When the Emperor Constantine VI chose to divorce his wife to marry his mistress, Theodore loudly expressed his disapproval. Exiled from the monastery for his boldness, Theodore was forced to live in Thessalonika until Constantine was overthrown. Returning to Constantinople, Theodore was placed in charge of the famous Studium Monastery, which became a model for monasticism in the Byzantine world. Soon however, he was exiled again – this time for speaking out against the iconoclastic Emperor Leo V. Even while banished from the Empire, Theodore continued to write treatises in defense of the dogmas of the Church, particularly those dealing with the veneration of icons. He passed away in 826 A.D.