Theodo'rus STUDITA
69. STUDITA, abbot of the monastery of Studium, was born at Constantinople in A. D. 759. In 781 he entered the monastery of Sacudium, which was presided over by his uncle Plato; and on the resignation of the latter, succeeded him in 794. Theodorus was one of the most vehement opposers of the Iconoclasts, and his zeal procured him considerable reputation, especially with the monks. In 795, when the emperor Constantinus married Theodote, Theodorus took upon himself to anathematize that emperor, and to denounce the patriarch Tarasius, and in the following year was scourged and banished to Thessalonica. On the death of the emperor in 797, Theodorus was brought back to Constantinople with great pomp, and was regarded with great favour by Irene, to whom he offered the most abject flattery.
In the following year, in consequence of the incursions of the Saracens, he removed to the monastery of Studium, within the city. In 806, when Nicephorus was made patriarch, and the abbot Josephus, who had sanctioned the marriage of Constantinus, was restored to the communion of the Church by a council held at Constantinople, the wrath of Theodorus was again excited, and he refused all communion with the patriarch.
He was joined in his violent proceedings by a large number of monks, and, when reproved by the Pope Leo, replied in an insolent and angry tone.
These proceedings led to his being again banished in 809, together with his brother Josephus and the abbot Plato, to an island near Byzantium. In 811, on making his submission to Nicephorus, he was set at liberty by Michael Rhangabe. Two years afterwards, when the emperor Leo the Armenian issued an edict against the worship of images, Theodorus, backed by a considerable number of monks, set the edict at defiance, openly celebrated processions of images, and incited the people to sedition.
He was at first placed in gentle confinement; but as he did not cease to send out encyclical letters against the emperor, he was subsequently removed to various prisons, and at length taken to Smyrna, and there closely confined. In 821 he was set at liberty by the emperor Michael Balbus, and resumed his post at the head of his monastery. His imprisonments had not taught him moderation. His furious zeal for image worship soon broke out again. In 824, indignant that the emperor would not take strong measures against the Iconoclasts, he favoured the machinations of Thomas against the emperor, and when the attempts of Thomas were suppressed, found it necessary to retire from Constantinople.
After wandering about in several places, he at length settled in the island Chalcite, where he died in 826, on the 11th of November.
Those who wish for detailed information respecting the piety and miracles of Theodorus, may consult Baronius (
Annales, vol. ix. a. 795-826), who derived his materials from a life of Theodorus by Joannes, or some other Greek writer.
Editions
In one MS. the life of Theodorus is attributed to a monk of the name of Michaelis, and under his name it is published in
the fifth volume of the works of Sirmondus (Paris, 1696), where also will be found the following literary remains of Theodorus.
Works
1.
An oration on behalf of images
Delivered before the emperor Leo.
Διαθήκη a confession of faith, written by Theodorus shortly before his death, and accompanied by various precepts respecting the monastic life, intended for the benefit and guidance of his successor in the office of abbot.
Βίβλος δογματική,
ἐν ᾗ στερροὶ λόγοι γ́ καὶ ἀντιρρητικοί. Three discourses against the Iconomachi.
Ἔλεγχος καὶ ἀνατροπὴ τῶν ἀσεβῶν ποιημάτων, a refutation of certain iambic acrostichs composed by Joannes, Ignatius, Sergius, and Stephanus against the worship of images.
Προβλήματά τινα πρὸς εἰκονομάχους.
Κ̓ατὰ εἰκονομάκους κεφάλαια ἑπτά.
Ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς πλάτωνα περὶ τῆς προσκυνήσεως τῶν σεπτῶν εἰκόνων. 8. Two hooks of epistles, comprising altogether 276. Almost twice as many however are extant.
In one MS. of the Coislinian library there are 548.
These letters form a collection of considerable his. torical value not only for the life of Theodorus, but with reference to the disputes which agitated the Church in his time. Fabricius (
Bibl. Graec. vol. x. p. 439, &c.) has given a list of those to whom these letters are addressed, amounting to 284.
Ἰάμβοι εἰς διαφόρους ὑποθέσεις, epigrammatic poems in iambic metre on various subjects.
The following are not published in the works of Sirmondus : 10.
Δογματικὴ περὶ τιμῆς καὶ προσκυνήσεως τῶν ἁγίων εἰκόνων, published in the works of Damascenus (Basil. 1575, fol.).
There is a Latin version in the
Bibliotheca Patrum (Paris, 1589, 1644 and 1654, vol. iii.).
Ἐπιτάφιος εἰς Πλάτωνα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πνευματικὸν πατέρα; published in Greek by Henschen and Papebroche (
Acta Sanctorum, vol. i. April. p. xlvi., and in Latin, p. 366). Other Latin translations are also found.
Λόγος εἰς τὴν προσκύνησιν τοῦ τιμίου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ σταυροῦ ἐν τῇ μεσονηστίμῳ, published in Greek with the translation of J. Gretser, in the work of the latter
De Cruce (vol. ii. p. 287).
There is also a Latin translation in the
Bibliotheca Patrum (vol. xiv. p. 900).
Κανὼν εἰς τὴν σταυροπροσκύνησιν, a hymn on the adoration of the cross, published by Gretser (ibid. vol. iii. p. 487).
Κανὼν ψαλλόμενος εἰς τὴν ἀναστήλωσιν τῶν ἁγίων εἰκόνων, published in Greek and Latin by Baronius (
Annal. a. 842) and in Latin in the
Bibl. Patrum (Lugd. vol. xiv. p. 898).
It is questionable, however, whether this composition is authentic, as it indicates a much more peaceable recognition of the adoration of images than was the case in the time of Theodorus.
It has been supposed therefore that it is the composition of a Theodorus of later date.
Ἡ μικρὰ λεγομένη Κατήχησις. A Latin version of this will be found in the
Bibl. Patr. (Colon. vol. ix., Paris, vol. ii., Lugd. vol. xiv. p. (8.50.) 16.
Ἐγκώμιον περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Βαρθολομαίου. A Latin translation was published by Lucas Dacherius (
Spioilegium, vol. ii. p. 13, Paris, 1659), and by Combéfis (
Bibl. Concionat. vol. vii. p. 755). 17.
Ἐγκώμιον εἰς τὸν ἅγιον Ἀπόστολον καὶ Εὺαγγελιστὴν Ἰωάννην τὸν θεολόγον, published in a Latin version by Combéfis (
ibid.).
18. Sermo brevis in Dominicam quartam Quadragesimae,
Sermo brevis in Dominicam quartam Quadragesimae, in the version of Joannes Livineius, published together with the Catechesis.
19. Capitula quattuor de Vita ascetica,
Capitula quattuor de Vita ascetica, published in Greek and latin by P. Possinus (
Thesaurus Asceticus, Paris, 1684).
Ἐγκώμιον εἰς τὴν τρίτην ἕυρεσιν τῆς τιμίας κεφαλῆς τοῦ ἁγίου προδρόμου, published with the version of Combétis by Du Fresne (
Traité historique du chef de S. Baptiste, Paris, 1666).
Τροπάρια,
κανόνες, &c. published in the various Greek collections of such hymns.
Ἡ μεγάλη καλουμένη κατηχητική, divided into three parts, the
κατήχησις,
μηνολόγιον, and
διδασκαλία.
This work is yet unpublished. Fabricius (
Bibl. Graec. vol. x. p. 449, &c.) has a notice of the MSS. in which it is extant, a list of the titles of the 217 discourses of which the work consists, and one of the discourses (the tenth) printed at full length.
The reader is also referred to Fabricius (
l.c. p. 471, &c.) for a list of various other unpublished works of Theodorus.
Further Information
Baronius,
l.c. ; Cave,
Hist. Litt. vol. ii. p. 8, &c.; Fabric.
l.c. p. 434, &c.
