ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN NOVEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 11th of November
Prayer to the Angels and the Saints
Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.
In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.
Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.
Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.
ST THEODORE THE STUDITE, ABBOT
The monastery Sakkudion was founded in 781. Saint Theodore, at the young age of 22, excelled by his holiness and virtue. Already in the year 794 Theodore was appointed abbot.
HE WAS APPOINTED ABBOT
Because he had admonished Emperor Constantine IV who had abandoned his lawful wife, Theodore had to suffer much from him. The holy monk was flogged and sent into exile.
HIS FIRST PERIOD OF EXILE
Only after Constantine's death was the holy confessor able to return to his monastery. Meanwhile, it had become quite disorganised and been also exposed to the inroads of the Saracens.
THE ABBEY STUDIUM
Empress Irene, however, after her accession, was able to hand over to Theodore the Abbey Studium (which was named after its founder Studius, who had been a 5th century consul).
The abbey began to blossom magnificently under Theodore's leadership. More than one thousand monks served God here. Because of this abbey, Theodore is known also by the surname "the Studite".
Under the cruel and two-faced Emperor Nigephorus, Theodore was banished once more. In A.D. 811 he was recalled by the Emperor's second successor.
HE CONTINUED TO RESIST THE ICONOCLASTS
Finally, because of his resistance against the iconoclasts, Theodore was sent into exile for the third time - in A.D. 814. St Theodore the Studite died in exile on November 11, 826. He left us several written works - most were concerning the iconoclasts.
(Information from: Rieger, Legends of the Saints for Every Day of the Year, Augsburg, 1835)
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