Theodora of Alexandria

Theodora of Alexandria was a saint and Desert Mother who was married to a prefect of Egypt. In order to perform penance for adultery, she disguised herself as a man and, pretending to be a eunuch, joined a monastery in the Thebaid.[3] Her true identity as a woman was discovered only after her death.[4]

For the saint martyred in the Diocletianic Persecution, see Theodora and Didymus.

Saint Theodora of Alexandria
Miniature of Saint Theodora in the Menologion of Basil II (11c.)
Desert Mother
Venerated inEastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church[1]
Episcopal Church
Feast11 Parmouti (Coptic Christianity)[2]
11 September
5 January (Episcopal Church)

A rare image of Theodora in Western art is a print by Bernardino Capitelli, made in 1627 for Theodora Costa dal Pozzo, showing the saint disguised as a monk and caring for the child she was accused of fathering (Vienna: Graphische Sammlung Albertina).[5]

Theodora is honored with a Lesser Feast (with Sarah, and Syncletica) on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America[6] on 5 January.[7]

References
  1. "Roman Martyrology September, in English".
  2. "Baramouda 11 : Lives of Saints : Synaxarium - CopticChurch.net".
  3. "Theodora the Martyr of Alexandria", Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
  4. Delaney, John J. (15 March 2005). Dictionary of Saints. Random House Digital, Inc. p. 590. ISBN 978-0-385-51520-7. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  5. Bonaccorso, Patrizia (1985). Bernardino Capitelli, 1589–1639. Siena: Edisiena. pp. 32–38.
  6. "Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018".
  7. "Sarah, Theodora, and Syncletica of Egypt". satucket.com. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
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