Theodore of Tamasos

Saint Theodore of Tamasos lived in the first century and belonged to the small missionary band, with Saints Heraclidius and Mnason, which set out from Tamasos in Cyprus to dispel the darkness of idolatry. He was born in the city of Tamasos, famous for its copper. His parents were pagans, and his father, Chrysippus, made statues of the gods, which Theodore, called Theonas before baptism, sold in the market.

In his youth he was a close friend of Mnason, whom the Evangelist Luke calls "an old disciple" in the Acts of the Apostles. They went together to Rome and there met some of the seventy apostles, from whom they heard of the new faith. They then went to Jerusalem to meet Peter and John the Evangelist and learned from them of the birth, life, teaching, miracles, cross, resurrection and ascension of the Lord. They were baptized and returned to Cyprus, where they met the apostles Paul and Barnabas, Mark and Heraclidius.

Mnason stayed with Heraclidius, and Theodore parted from them both and lived thirty-⁠eight years in struggle, with strict self-⁠restraint, unceasing prayer and humility. Sensing his end, he called Rhodon, the third bishop of Tamasos, and entrusted to him the writing of the lives of Heraclidius and Mnason. He fell asleep in peace on 4 October. He was buried by Heraclidius, Mnason and the faithful in the tomb where his father Chrysippus had been laid earlier.