Commemoration of the King St. Theodos and Children of Ephesus

King and distinguished Captain Theodos, who is called also Theodos the Great, is known to the Christian world as the greatest advocate and supporter of Orthodoxy.

In 379 being appointed the king of the East, pious Theodos allowed all the orthodox Bishops exiled upon the order of the previous king to return to their countries. According to the book “Life of the Saints” among them was the Armenian Pontiff St. Nerses. Another important step directed to the strengthening of the orthodox faith became the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople convened upon the order of the King Theodos in 381.

The modest behavior of the pious Christian is exemplary. When as punishment for the massacre of the people organized in Thessalonica the Bishop of Milan prohibited Theodos to enter the church, the king obeyed and entered the church only after repenting for 8 months.

On the day of commemoration of the King Theodos the Armenian Church commemorates also the memory of the 7 children of Ephesus. 7 noble young men from Ephesus were secretly baptized and became Christians. For adopting Christianity they were persecuted by the king Dekos and hid themselves in the cave of the nearby mountain (Voghkos). By God’s will they fell sleep in the cave for 140 years and woke up only in 389, during the period of reign of the king Theodos. When people became aware of that divine miracle, the king and the residents of Ephesus met the persecuted Christians with great respect and honor. Returning to their cave the 7 young men passed away. They were buried in the same cave, upon which later a magnificent church was built.