Theophilus of Caesarea in Cappadocia

Holy Martyr Theophilus of Caesarea in Cappadocia is remembered together with the holy martyrs Dorothea, Christina and Callista, in the time of the emperor Diocletian, in the year 288 or 300.

Dorothea was a devout Christian maiden, known for her gentleness, humility, purity and the wisdom given by God, which amazed many. Seized by order of the governor Sapricius, she firmly confessed faith in Christ and was subjected to torments. Unable to break her, the governor handed her over to the care of two sisters, Christina and Callista, once Christians, who for fear of suffering had denied Christ and lived disorderly lives. He ordered them to persuade Dorothea to sacrifice to the gods. The opposite happened: Dorothea showed them that by the mercy of God salvation is given to all who repent, and the women wept and returned to Christ. For this they were bound back to back and burned in a barrel of pitch. The sisters Christina and Callista died praying to the Lord in repentance and atoning for the sin of denial.

Dorothea was tortured again and bore it with great joy, receiving with the same joy the sentence of death. As she was led to execution, a learned man, a lawyer named Theophilus, said to her in mockery: Bride of Christ, send me roses and apples from the garden of your Bridegroom. The martyr answered him with a nod of her head. Before her death she asked for time to pray. After the prayer an angel appeared to her in the form of a beautiful youth, who gave her on a clean cloth three apples and three roses. The saint asked that they be taken to Theophilus, and then she was beheaded with the sword. On receiving the gifts, the former persecutor of Christians was astonished, believed in the Saviour and declared himself a Christian. Subjected for this to cruel torments, Saint Theophilus received the end of martyrdom likewise by beheading with the sword.

The relics of Saint Dorothea are in Rome, in a church bearing her name, and her head, also in Rome, in the church of the Mother of God in Trastevere. They are commemorated on 19 February.