E05283: The Life of *Theodoros (abbot of Sykeon, ob. 613, S01619), by Eleusios-Georgios of Sykeon, mentions several shrines and festivals of saints at Sykeon and other places in Anatolia, the Holy Land, and Constantinople. Written in Greek at Sykeon (central Asia Minor), in the 640s.

Georgios of Sykeon, Life of Theodoros, abbot of Sykeon and bishop of Anastasiopolis (CPG 7973 = BHG 1748)


A catalogue of references to shrines and churches of saints in the text:

Sykeon
7.2, 8.16 Shrine (μαρτύριον) of the martyr *Georgios (S00259).
23. Theodoros, as priest, settles there (εὐκτήριον). It is located on a rocky site on the mountain.

8. Oratory (εὐκτήριος οἶκος) of *John the Baptist (S00020) outside the village of Sykeon.

10. Church (ναός) of *Gemellos (S01998) near Theodoros’ home. Probably the main church of the village of Sykeon. 25. Theodoros buries his aunt there. 142. He meets the patrician Bonosus there (the church is by the highway).

13. Oratory (εὐκτήριον) of *Christophoros (S00616) east of the village.
25. Theodoros’ grandmother establishes a nunnery there.
46. 10-12. Theodoros visits the nunnery.
167. 43-48. Theodoros celebrates the liturgy of Maundy Thursday for the nuns.

35. Church (ναός) of *Michael the Archangel (S00181).


First Expansion of the monastery
40. The visitors are so many that the church of Georgios cannot accommodate them. To the right (i.e. south?) of it, Theodoros builds a new church (40.14, 162.12 οἶκος; 103.7 ναός) of Michael the Archangel, flanked by a smaller oratory (40.16 μικρὸν εὐκτήριον) of John the Baptist and one (104.5, 162.77 μοναστήριον, 162.1 εὐκτήριον) of *Mary (S00033). The new complex is appropriate for both winter and summer use. The church of Michael is constantly open to visitors who are allowed to stay and sleep there (103.7). Services are celebrated by the monks for their benefit (40).

Second Expansion
55. A new large church (ναός) of Georgios with three apses is built, flanked by oratories (εὐκτήριον) of *Platon (the martyr of Ancyra?, S00650) on the left (north) and *Antiochos (S01997) on the right (south). It also has an upper gallery (κατηχούμενον) with an oratory dedicated to *Sergios and Bakchos (S00023, S00079). During his episcopate, Theodoros consecrates the new church (ναός) of Georgios (59). The oratory of Platon is reserved to Theodoros’ private devotions and reclusion periods (60). His iron cage is kept there (102).

The new church complex is described as follows:

55.9-15. Ἰδὼν τοίνυν οὗτος ὁ μακάριος πολλοὺς ὄχλους συναθροιζομένους καὶ τὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Γεωργίου εύκτήριον μικρὸν ὑπάρχον, δοὺς τὰ ὑπολειφθέντα αὐτῷ γενικὰ χρήματα ἀνῳκοδόμησεν ἄξιον ναὸν τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος Γεωργίου τρίκογχον, ἔχοντα ἐκ δεξιῶν εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος Πλάτωνος, ἐξ εὐωνύμων δὲ τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος Ἀντιόχου. Ἐπάνωθεν δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κατηχουμένῳ τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων Σεργίου καὶ Βάκχου [...]

‘So this blessed man saw that great crowds were gathering and the oratory of Saint George was small, and he spent the rest of his family fortune and built a dignified temple of the holy martyr Georgios, with three apses. It had an oratory of the holy martyr Platon on the right, and one of the holy martyr Antiochos on the left. Above it, in the gallery, there was one of the holy martyrs Sergios and Bakchos …’


The text also mentions the following two oratories, which may belong to the broader monastic settlement of Sykeon:

167. 76-77. Oratory (εὐκτήριον) of Georgios in the mountain.
167. 89-90. Monastery (μοναστήριον) of the martyr *Kerykos (S00007).


Villages in Galatia and around Sykeon
Trapezas (10 miles from Sykeon)
14. Shrine (εὐκτήριος οἶκος) of John the Baptist. Inhabited by the hermit Glykerios.

Ergobroteos
27.20-22. Theodoros’ cage is set up at the church (ναός) of John the Baptist.

Mazamia
36. Church (καθολικὴ ἐκκλησία) of *Eirenikos (S01999).

Skoudris
141. Monastery of the Michael the Archangel (μοναστήριον τοῦ Ἀρχαγγέλου).

Ouetape near Kinna
66. Monastery (μοναστήριον) of *Stephanos (the first martyr?, S00030).

Uncertain
113. Monastery of *Theodoros (martyr of Amasea and Euchaita?, S00480) of Briania (113.1-2: μοναστήριον τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος Θεοδώρου τοῦ ἀπὸ Βριανίας).
64. Monastery of Dryina, including an oratory (64.27: εὐκτήριον) of *Paul the Apostle.

Iouliopolis
13. Vigil (παννυχίς) for the martyr *Heuretos/Heuretes (S02000) at Iouliopolis (no direct reference to a shrine, but likely)
79. 25-27. Oratory (εὐκτήριον) of the Archangel (presumably Michael, S00181) at Akrena, in the territory of Iouliopolis/Heliopolis.

Germia
71. Feast of the church (ναός) of Mary (S00033) at the village of Mousge, between Germia and Eudoxias.
100. Church (ναός) of Michael the Archangel and monastery (μοναστήριον) of Mary at Germia.

Heraclea Pontica
44. Church of Mary (οἶκος τῆς παναγίας Θεοτόκου) at Heraclea Pontica.

Dorylaeum
130. Monastery (130.15 μονή) of Georgios (S00259) of Pegai, near Dorylaion.

Sozopolis of Pisidia
106, 108. Church (ναός) of Mary (S00033) in Sozopolis.

Pessinus
101. Church of the Angels (S00723) (101.40 ναὸς Μυριαγγέλων) outside the walls.

Amorium
107. Oratory of the Mary (S00033) (107.22 εὐκτήριον) outside the walls, within the house of the illustris Anastasius

Bithynia
49. Monastery (μονή) of Theodoros (S00480) near the river Psilis.
151. 1 Monastery of the Mary (S00033) of the Katharoi (μονὴ τῆς παναγίας Θεοτόκου τῶν Καθαρῶν) near Pylae.

Nicomedia and territory
156. Shrine (156.65, 156.72 εὐκτήριον) of *Anthimos (martyr of Nicomedia, S00124) at Optatianae, outside the east walls of Nicomedia.
156. Shrine of the *Apostles (S00084) (156.22 Ἀποστολεῖον) in Nicomedia.
156. Monastery (156.84 μονή) of Christophoros (S00616) at the village of Persea.
156. Shrine (?) of Mary (S00016) at the fountain (156.39, Θεοτόκος τῆς Πηγῆς) in Nicomedia.
157. Monastery (157.1 μονή) of *Autonomos (martyr of Nicomedia, S00016) at Astakos (also in 49.24).
157. Shrine (157.16 μαρτύριον) of Theodoros (martyr of Amasea and Euchaita?, S00480) at Eribolum.
157. Oratory (157.24 εὐκτήριος οἶκος) of Georgios (S00259) at the emporium of Herakleion at Latomion.
157. Oratory (157.34 εύκτήριον) of Mary (S00033) the Virgin at Myrokopin.
158. Church of Mary (158.27 σεπτὸς οἶκος τῆς παναγίας Θεοτόκου, S00033) at Diolkides.
158. Oratory of *Herakleios (S02002) (158.53 εὐκτήριον τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος Ἡρακλείου) at the emporion of Elaia.
160. Oratory (160.19 εὐκτήριος οἶκος) of *Dionysios (S02001) at the road station of Dekaton.

Holy Land
24. Theodoros is tonsured at the monastery of the Virgin Mary (S00033) in Choziba (24. 17-18. μοναστήριον τῆς δεσποίνης ἡμῶν τῆς Θεοτόκου τὸ προσαγορευόμενον τοῦ Χουζιβᾶ).

47, 63. Lavra (λαύρα) of *Sabas (S00910) in Palestine.

Constantinople
135. 11 Monastery (μονή) of Stephanos (S00030), or 'of the Romans', at the Petrion.

Text: Festugière 1970.
Summary and Translation: Efthymios Rizos.