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TODAY WE CELEBRATE THEODOTUS OF ANCYRA: He Aided Persecuted Christians, And On This Day, You Should Do This To Ward Off Death!

by Serbian Times1. June 2025.2. June 2025.

The Serbian Orthodox Church today celebrates Saint Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra with seven virgin martyrs. Theodotus was married and was an innkeeper in Ancyra during the time of Emperor Diocletian. Although married, he lived by the apostle’s word: “From now on, those who have wives should be as though they had none.”

He kept the inn only to better assist Christians, as his inn served as a shelter for persecuted believers. Theodotus secretly sent aid to Christians who had fled to the mountains and secretly collected the bodies of the fallen to bury them.

At that time, seven girls were brought to trial and tortured in Christ’s name, ultimately drowning in a lake. One of them, Saint Tecusa, appeared to Theodotus in a dream and told him to retrieve their bodies from the lake and bury them. Theodotus did so with the help of a friend. However, the friend betrayed him to the judge, who then subjected him to severe torment.

Theodotus endured everything. When his tormentor had turned his entire body into wounds and crushed his teeth with stones, he ordered him to be beheaded. When Theodotus was led to the execution site, many Christians wept for him, but Saint Theodotus told them: “Do not weep for me, brothers, but glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, who helped me complete my feat and overcome the enemy.” He then laid his head on the block and was executed in 303 AD.

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Rituals and Prayer for Theodotus’ Feast Day

In honor of Martyr Theodotus and the seven martyred virgins, certain rituals are practiced among our people on this day. Today, it is customary to bathe three times in cold water to ward off death and misfortune. This is the prayer to be recited:

“You were a successor to the Apostles in throne and a partaker in spirit; divinely inspired work you found in the vision of spiritual growth: Therefore, you upheld the word of truth and for the faith you suffered unto blood, Hieromartyr Theodotus: Pray to Christ God to save our souls.”