Theodorus the Bishop
Acta Sanctorum, May 18
Source text: Public Domain. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://actasanctorum.org/may/day-18/theodorus-the-bishop.html
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ON ST. THEODORUS THE BISHOP

MARTYR, SUFFERING AT ROME.

From the Synaxaria of the MS. Greeks.

[Commentary]

Theodorus, Bishop, Martyr suffering at Rome (St.)

G. H.

Cardinal Baronius, in the Annotations to the day
X of the Roman Martyrology letter C, on the occasion of St.
Agatho the Pope, observes, citing Walafrid Strabo
on Ecclesiastical Things chapter 7, that the name of Papa,
that is of Father, passed into a name of dignity, so that
venerable Clerics were called by the same name: [The name of Papa formerly attributed to Bishops,] afterwards
however that name began to be peculiar to Bishops,
so that the same were called Papae. That there are of these
innumerable examples in Cyprian, Jerome,
Augustine, Rufinus, Prudentius, Sulpicius
Severus, Sidonius Apollinaris, Venantius Fortunatus,
& most recently in St. Eulogius of Cordova,
who flourished in the year DCCCL. For until
that time that name was common to all Bishops,
although more frequently & more peculiarly it was wont to be attributed
to the Roman Pontiffs. These things Baronius: which
being set we proceed to the cult of St. Theodorus, suffering at Rome,
& called Papa. That very many Bishops of various
Churches were crowned with martyrdom at Rome, often in this
work we have shown: & such in the month of April we gave SS. Victor, [St. Theodorus, Bishop elsewhere, suffering at Rome.]
Quirinus, Eleutherius, & this one indeed
Bishop of Ecana or Troia. The MS. Synaxarium which
we said we had found at Dijon, thus has of him: Ὁ
ἅγιος
Θεόδωρος
Πάπας
Ῥώμης,
ξεόμενος
τελειοῦται. St. Theodorus,
Papas at Rome, lacerated with claws ends his life. And
these verses are added.

Ἀνθρωποτρῶκται,
δημίους
λέγω
λύκους,
Θεοδώρου
τρώγουσι
τας
σάρκας
ξέσει.

The members of Theodorus a crowd of executioners gnaws,
Devourers of men, by right whom I shall call, wolves.

Of the same St. Theodorus the Papa at Rome the contest is reported
on this day in the double Turin Menaea of the Duke of Savoy,
& on the day XVII May in the old MS. Menaea of Milan
of the Ambrosian library. But in what place this Saint
was Bishop, is hidden from us. If some light is brought
by others, we will gladly receive it.
