Hieromartyr19th century

Hieromartyr Theodore of Atchara

late 18th century - 1822

Also known as Theodore of Adchara · Theodore the Georgian Hieromartyr

Born to a Georgian family forced into Islam, he freed himself, embraced Christianity, and became a monk and deputy abbot at a Georgian monastery in Smyrna. While journeying to Mount Athos in 1822 he was seized and executed by Ottoman soldiers. Canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church in 2002.

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Commemorated as

The Holy New Hieromartyr Theodore of Atchara

Life

Theodore of Atchara (Tevdore of Ajara) was a Georgian monastic martyred by Ottoman soldiers in 1822. Born in the late 18th century, he came from a family forced into exile during the Ottoman Islamization of the Atchara (Adjara) region of Georgia. According to the accounts of his life, he watched as fellow countrymen who had been forcibly converted to Islam secretly preserved their Christian way of life.

Having freed himself from Islam and embraced Christianity, Theodore found refuge at a Georgian monastery in Smyrna (modern Izmir), where he was tonsured a monk and later raised to the rank of proigoumenos, or deputy abbot. In 1822, while on pilgrimage to Mount Athos amid the Ottoman suppression of the Greek War of Independence, he was seized and killed by Ottoman soldiers. The Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church canonized him in 2002, and his feast is kept on February 17.

Troparion1 hymnReadHide

TroparionTone 4

By sharing in the ways of the Apostles,
you became a successor to their throne.
Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God;
by teaching the word of truth without error, you defended the Faith,
even to the shedding of your blood.
Hieromartyr Theodore, entreat Christ God to save our souls.

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

Timeline4 momentsReadHide

late 18th centuryBirth into an exiled familyTheodore was born in the late 18th century to a Georgian family that had been forced into exile by the Ottoman Islamization of the Atchara region. From childhood he observed his countrymen, outwardly converted to Islam, secretly keeping the Christian faith.
early lifeReturn to Christianity and monastic tonsureHe freed himself from Islam and embraced Christianity, taking refuge at a Georgian monastery in Smyrna (modern Izmir). There he was tonsured a monk and in time was raised to the rank of proigoumenos (deputy abbot). The accounts of his life relate that during this period he brought his own nephew to Christianity.
1822Pilgrimage to Mount Athos and martyrdomSetting out on a pilgrimage to Mount Athos in 1822, he traveled at a time when the Ottomans were suppressing the Greek independence movement and had occupied the Holy Mountain with troops. Ottoman soldiers captured the pilgrim and put him to death, casting his body into the sea.
2002CanonizationThe Holy Synod of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church canonized him on October 17, 2002. His feast is observed on February 17.

Contributions & Legacy

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Background and Early Life

Theodore belonged, by the accounts of his life, to the Atcharan (Adjaran) Georgians, a population that came under sustained pressure to convert to Islam during the long period of Ottoman rule over southwestern Georgia. His family was driven into exile in the course of this forced Islamization. One account records that they settled in Trebizond (modern Trabzon).

From his youth he saw fellow countrymen who had been outwardly converted to Islam continue to hold to Christianity in secret. He himself came to free himself from Islam and to embrace the Christian faith openly.

Monastic Life in Smyrna

Theodore found refuge at a Georgian monastery in Smyrna (modern Izmir), then a major city of the Ottoman Empire with a substantial Christian population. There he was tonsured a monk and later raised to the rank of proigoumenos, the office of deputy or assistant abbot.

The lives of the saint relate that during his time in Smyrna he brought his own nephew to the Christian faith.

Martyrdom

In 1822 Theodore set out on a pilgrimage to Mount Athos. His journey coincided with the Greek War of Independence, which the Ottoman authorities were then attempting to suppress; Ottoman troops had surrounded and occupied the Holy Mountain. The soldiers seized the pilgrim and put him to death, afterward casting his body into the sea.

His martyrdom is remembered by the Georgian Church in connection with the wider sufferings of Orthodox Christians in Smyrna during this period.

Canonization and Veneration

The Holy Synod of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church canonized Theodore on October 17, 2002, numbering him among the new martyrs. He is commemorated on February 17.

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Fellow witnesses from Atchara — the Orthodox Georgians of his homeland martyred during the same Ottoman Islamization of the region that drove his family into exile.

Martyred Fathers and Mothersof Atchara

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Feb 17