Theodotia of Nicaea

Holy Martyr Theodotia of Nicaea, a native of Cappadocia, suffered in the city of Nicaea, in the time of the Emperor Alexander Severus (222 to 235), around the year 230. At that time a certain Symblicius had been appointed governor of Cappadocia. He was told that a wealthy woman, Theodotia, confessed Christ. The governor summoned her and for a long time tried to persuade her to renounce the true faith. Seeing his failure, he handed her over to torture: she was hung up and her body began to be torn with iron hooks, but she seemed not to feel the pain. Then she was put in chains and taken to prison. After eight days, when the saint was led out to fresh torments, only faint traces of the tortures she had endured remained on her. The governor was astonished and asked her who she was. The saint answered, "Your mind has grown dark, and if you were sober you would know that I am Theodotia." Symblicius ordered her thrown into a heated furnace. A flame burst out of the furnace and scorched those standing nearby; those who remained unharmed closed the furnace and fled in fear. After a time pagan priests came and opened the furnace to scatter the martyr's ashes, but they were burned by the flames, and those who survived saw Saint Theodotia unharmed, standing in the midst of the fire between two young men in white garments, praising the Lord. The vision so terrified the pagans that they fell as if dead. The saint was put in prison again.

The martyr's invincibility gave Symblicius no peace. Going to Byzantium, on the way back he stopped at Ancyra and demanded that Theodotia be brought to him. He ordered her thrown at once onto red-⁠hot iron, but the martyr again remained unharmed. Then Symblicius ordered her taken to the city of Nicaea. There, in a pagan temple, he wished to force her to sacrifice to idols, but at the saint's prayer the idols fell and shattered. The governor, furious, ordered her stretched out and sawn through, but here too the power of God guarded the saint: the saw did her no harm, so that the servants grew weary. At last the saint was beheaded. Her body was buried by Bishop Sophronius of Nicaea.

Theodotia is commemorated on 30 September (new style). Her story was also written down by Saint Demetrius of Rostov.