Sfântul Mare Mucenic Teodor Tiron în iconografie

Abstract

The life of this military saint named Theodore, who was part of the Roman army of tyrants, is recorded in the 4th century, during the reign of the emperors Maximian and Maximin. Deeds of bravery propelled him among the higher military ranks. He remained in the hagiography through the miracles he performed, both during his life and after his death. The first refers to the victory against those who did not accept Christ and the second is the miracle of the funeral cake made by wheat that saved the Christians from eating food sprinkled with the blood of animals destined to be sacrificed to idols, a story that happened during the Great Lent. This created the tradition of the funeral cake and Theodor’s Saturday. Of course, the miracle of the slaying of the dragon is also found later and it can be recognized in many Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons.

The iconography is based on the short text of Dionysius of Furna, which presents him as a young man with a bushy black beard and hair up to the top of his ears.

In the Byzantine iconography, the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tiron is painted as a Roman soldier, with all the insignia and elements characteristic of the military outfit of the ancient era: long shirt, breastplate, crest, large cloak, sandals on his feet, also having the weapons: spear, bow and the quiver of arrows, the longsword, the shield of defense. There are four significant representations of Saint Theodore: a) The Saint appears alone (bust or standing), b) The Saint appears together with Saint Theodore Stratilatus or with other saints, c) The Saint appears slaying the dragon, d) The Saint appears depicted on a horse. The most interesting examples are: the icon of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tiron from the 10th century from the Church of the Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai; the fresco by Manuil Panselinos from the Church of the Protaton Monastery in the Holy Mount Athos, 1290; the icon signed by the Greek painter Angelos Akotantos with the title The Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tiron killing the dragon. The work dates from the 15th century and can be found at the Christian and Byzantine Museum in Athens. The last example analyzed is also an icon from the Russian iconography where we see the saints: Great Martyr Theodore Stratilat and Great Martyr Theodore Tiron. The icon is dated to the 15th century and is housed in the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg.

The life and hagiography of this saint interweave with the similar one of Saint Theodore Stratilat next to whom he is often represented in icons and frescoes. The hagiography and iconography of Saint Theodore Tiron are models of living and representation in ancient and contemporary church art.