Holy Martyr Theodotia and Her Three Sons (+c. 304)

The holy Martyr Theodotia, a rich widow from the city of Nicaea, lived with her three young sons in Macedonia, on her own estate. She spent her wealth generously on helping the poor and burying the dead who had no one to bury them. The saint was bound by spiritual friendship to Saint Anastasia (commemorated 22 December). When the persecution of the Christians began, both holy women were arrested. At the tribunal Leucadius, a noble courtier, was charmed by Theodotia’s beauty. He decided to take her home and make her his wife. In Leucadius’s house Theodotia spent her days in holiness with her children; the pagan courtier could not bend her will by admonitions, flattery or threats. At last, enraged by the saint’s firmness, he sent her with her children to Bithynia, to Nicetius, the governor of the region. When the judge tried to frighten the blessed mother with threats of torture, her eldest son, Evodus, declared: “Christians are not afraid of torments; they fear only to lose the grace of God!” The child was cruelly beaten before his mother’s eyes. He lost all his blood and with a martyr’s crown entered blessed eternity. After this the blessed mother was handed over to debauched men to be defiled, but a heavenly power protected her. A miracle took place before everyone’s eyes: an angel of the Lord stood in the way of the lawless who dared to approach the lamb of Christ. The judge attributed what had happened to the saint’s sorcery and sentenced her to be burned with her children.

The holy Martyrs Theodotia, the boy Evodus and her two other young sons are also commemorated on 22 December, together with Saint Anastasia.