The Orthodox Church commemorates today Great-martyr Theodore the Tyro.
Saint Theodore of Tyro came from Amaseia, south of the Black Sea coast, and lived during the reign of Emperors Maximianus (286 – 305 AD), Galerius (305 – 311 AD), and Maximinus (305 – 312 AD). He is called Tyro because a young recruit in the Roman army who belonged to the cohors Tyronum under the command of Praepositus Brincus.
He was accused of being Christian and was called to say whether he truly believed in the Holy Gospel and Jesus Christ. He confessed his faith in Christ with courage coming from the grace of the Holy Spirit.
Brincus did not want to arrest and punish Saint Theodore but allowed him to think it over. He believed, in vain, that Saint Theodore would change his mind and willingly sacrifice to the idols. Not only did Theodore remain steadfast in his faith, but he also burned the temple of Cybele, the mother of the gods, with its magnificent idol. Immediately afterwards he was arrested and was executed by the zealous pagans by being thrown into a furnace.
Source: Church of Cyprus
