The Lesser Feast of Theodora, Empress, c.867

Welcome to Noonday Prayer at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral. The service of Noonday Prayer begins on page 103 of the Book of Common Prayer. Learn more about today’s feast

Opening Sentence, page 103

Officiant: O God, make speed to save us.

People: O Lord, make haste to help us.

All: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm 100, page 729

Be joyful in the LORD, all you lands; *
                serve the LORD with gladness and come before his presence with a song.
Know this: The LORD himself is God; *
                he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise; *
                give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; *
                and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

Reading: Luke 17:1-10

Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to anyone by whom they come! It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. And if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’”

Reflection: The Lesser Feast of Theodora, Empress

Theodora was a ninth-century Byzantine empress who has long been commemorated as a saint in the Orthodox Churches for her role in the restoration of icons following the iconoclastic controversy. Although in theory that conflict had been settled in favor of the veneration of icons at the Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787, in practice disagreements remained strong, and the iconoclastic party included many prominent members of society, including within the imperial family.

A young noblewoman of Armenian descent, Theodora was married to the young emperor Theophilos in the year 830. Although both were sincere Christians, the couple had strong disagreements about religious matters. Theophilos was an iconoclast and believed that the veneration of icons was idolatry. Theodora, however, maintained her own practice of venerating images in spite of her husband’s opposition. On one occasion, when a servant reported to Theophilos that his wife had been seen venerating icons, she sweetly informed him that she had merely been “playing with dolls.” Two of her icons are kept in a monastery on Mount Athos to this day, where they are referred to as “Theodora’s dolls.”

In spite of this theological conflict, the couple seem to have had a largely happy marriage, and had five daughters and two sons. Theophilos, however, died very young at the age of 29, and Theodora’s life changed considerably. Her young son Michael was only a toddler and was too young to assume leadership, and so she ruled the Byzantine empire as his regent from 842 until 855.

One of Theodora’s first acts as regent was to summon a synod of bishops to revisit the question of icons and iconoclasm. The practice of icon veneration was restored, and the synod ended in a procession that carried icons back into the Hagia Sophia.

Despite this victory, however, Theodora was noted for the particular gentleness with which she treated her theological opponents. She negotiated strongly with the church to ensure that her late husband would not be condemned as a heretic, and pursued a moderate policy of accommodation with clergy who had been iconoclasts. This was strongly opposed by more extreme factions within the church who wanted to see them denounced and punished as heretics, but Theodora remained firm in her attitude of respect for those who had held differing opinions. This ultimately led most of the iconoclastic party to gradually accept the majority view and to remain within the church.

Theodora is therefore remembered not only for her role in restoring the veneration of icons to the church but for her firm and diplomatic insistence upon reconciliation with those who had held opposing views, which made this one theological controversy that ended in reconciliation rather than in schism.

Theodora ruled as regent until her son came of age in 855. In 857 she retired to the monastery of Gastria, and seems to have died there some time after 867.

                From Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2022

The Prayers, pages 106-107
Officiant: Lord have mercy.
People: Christ have mercy.
Officiant: Lord have mercy.

All:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Officiant: Lord, hear our prayer;
People: And let our cry come to you.

Officiant: Let us pray.
O God, who called your servant Theodora to an earthly throne that she might advance your heavenly kingdom and who gave her the wisdom to establish unity where there had been division; Create in your church such godly union and concord that we might proclaim the Gospel of the Prince of Peace, not only in correct theology but in right actions; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Intercessions and Thanksgivings

Dismissal, page 107
Officiant: Let us bless the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

Officiant: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.