The Life and Miracles of Equal-to-the-Apostles First Martyr Thekla
The future Equal-to-the-Apostles Saint Thekla was born in the territory of modern Turkey - the city of Iconium. Her parents were rich and noble people and from a very early age they spoiled their daughter, fulfilling her every desire. According to the existing traditions of that time, when the girl grew up, she was betrothed to a guy from a rich family, whose name was Thamirid.
However, this marriage was never consummated - Thekla converted to Christianity and decided to devote her life to serving God. This happened at the moment when the Apostle Paul visited Iconium. The fact is that the church in which Paul preached the Good News was located next to Thekla’s parental home, and the girl involuntarily listened to the apostle’s passionate speeches about Christ, who died for the sins of mankind and gave eternal life to all who believed in Him. These words penetrated deep into Thekla’s heart, and she decided to devote her life to preaching the Gospel and serving God, and to refuse marriage.
The girl's groom, who did not want to come to terms with this decision of his bride, complained to the ruler of Iconium about the apostle who teaches young girls not to marry. The governor, without listening to Paul's explanations, simply threw him into prison. Thekla's groom hoped that now that the girl did not hear the teachings of the apostle, she would change her mind and go down the aisle with him. However, Thekla secretly bribed the guards guarding the prison and made her way to the apostle in order to hear his sermons again and strengthen her faith in the Lord.
Thekla's parents, noticing their daughter was missing, began to look for her everywhere, and one of the servants told them that he had seen the girl leaving the house and heading towards the dungeon. After the parents saw their daughter with Pavel, they told the hegemon about this, and he ordered them both to be brought to trial.
At the trial, the apostle spoke about Jesus Christ and his love for people, and Thekla simply stood silently and did not take her eyes off Paul, not wanting to answer why she did not want to get married. Then the governor ordered Paul to be expelled from the city and the rebellious girl to be burned at the stake. However, the Lord stood up for his disciple, and the fire did not harm Thekla.
After this, the girl left Iconium and went in search of the apostle. After one of Paul’s disciples took her to the apostle, he blessed her to preach the Gospel, which is what the holy protomartyr Thekla did for the rest of her life.
Life of Saint Thekla
Only one source about the life of Saint Thekla has reached our time - the “Acts of Paul and Thekla” created in the second century, which the church classifies as New Testament apocrypha.
The future martyr Thekla was born into a noble family in the territory of modern Turkey in the city of Iconium. Her childhood was spent in prosperity and the love of loved ones - rich parents doted on their daughter. When Thekla grew up, her parents, according to the traditions existing at that time, betrothed her to the young man Thamirid.
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It seemed that nothing could interfere with the future marriage. But at this time, the proud Apostle Paul visited Iconium, who brought to people the teaching about Jesus Christ and the true God. Thekla lived next to the church where Paul held his sermons and involuntarily listened to the apostle’s speeches every day. After some time, Thekla was so imbued with the words of the Apostle Paul that she decided not to marry her fiancé Thamarides, but to devote her life to serving God.
Thamirid could not accept such a decision of his bride and turned to the ruler of the city, Hegemon Kestilius, with a complaint that the preacher who came to the city forbade girls to bind themselves to family ties. The Apostle Paul tried to convey to the hegemon a new teaching about God, but Kestilius did not listen to Paul and ordered him to be thrown into prison.
The girl's parents, noticing her disappearance, together with Thamarid, went to look for her in the city. One of the slaves told them that he saw Thekla leaving the house at night and running towards the dungeon. Having found her together with Pavel, they reported this to the hegemon, and he ordered them to be brought to trial.
The hegemon listened attentively to Paul, who spoke about the truth of God, and after that he asked Thekla why she refused, according to the Iconian law, to marry Thamyrid. Thekla did not say a word in response, she just looked without taking her eyes off Pavel. Theoklia, Thekla's mother, called on the hegemon to burn the lawless woman so that all the women of Iconium would not dare to disobey their relatives in the future.
After much deliberation, the ruler of the city ordered the Apostle Paul to be expelled from the city, and the disobedient Thekla was sentenced to be burned at the stake. He thought that seeing the preparations for execution, the girl would come to her senses and renounce her faith. The executioners built a fire of branches and brought Thekla to execution. Having crossed herself, Thekla ascended the fire, but the fire did not burn her. God had mercy on Thekla and sent heavy rain from heaven. The fire gradually died out, and Thekla was saved.
Seeing the miracle, the people who came to watch the execution fled in horror from the wrath of God, and Thekla, protected by the Lord, left the city of Iconium and went in search of the Apostle Paul. One of Paul’s companions met Thekla and took her to the apostle, who had been fasting for many days and praying for the girl. Thekla decided to cut off their girlish braids and go with Pavel. Saint Thekla, together with the Apostle, brought the Word of God to the city of Antioch.
But even there there was no peace for her - the governor of Syria, Alexander, seeing the beauty of the girl, was inflamed with passion for her, and having been refused many times, he slandered Thekla before the hegemon of Antioch. It must be said that in those days, persecution of Christians was not uncommon and the ruler of the city, without hesitation, condemned her to death. The first time they threw Thekla to the wild lioness, but she lay down at the feet of the saint and did not touch her. On the second day, the hegemon threw her to the hungry lions and bears, but Thekla said a prayer and the animals did not touch her.
For the third time, the hegemon tried to execute Thekla - he tied her to two bulls so that they would tear the saint to pieces. But this time too the Lord protected Thekla - the strong ropes broke and the bulls ran away. The hegemon was convinced of the power of the god in whom Thekla believed and released her. She found Paul again and he blessed her to preach the word of God. Saint Thekla settled not far from Seleucia of Isauria and until she was very old, she carried God’s message to people and healed them from illnesses.
The miracles that the saint performed gave no rest to the pagans, and when Thekla was already very old, they sent mercenaries to desecrate the saint. At the time when Thekla noticed the danger, she offered a prayer to Jesus Christ, and the mountain parted and hid the holy virgin. This is how Saint Thekla ended her life, equated by the church with the apostles.
Service to God and miracles of the saint
During her life, according to Thekla’s faith, many miracles happened to her, thanks to which people renounced pagan deities and accepted Christianity. When the girl was ordered to be burned at the stake because she did not want to get married, the Lord sent heavy rain from heaven, gradually the fire went out and did not harm the saint.
While in Antioch and preaching the Word of God, Thekla encountered slander against her. The governor of Syria really liked the girl, and he decided to win her favor. However, having been refused several times, he became angry and slandered her before the hegemon. The ruler gave the order to throw the Christian woman to the wild lioness, but the predator calmly lay down at the feet of the saint and did not harm her. Then the hegemon ordered the girl to be thrown to be torn to pieces by hungry lions and bears, but the saint prayed to the Lord, and the animals did not touch her.
The ruler tried to execute the Christian woman for the third time - she was tied to two bulls so that they would tear her to pieces. But again, through the prayer of the righteous woman, the ropes broke. The hegemon was finally convinced of the power of God, in whom Thekla believed, and released the girl.
The woman not only preached the Gospel, but also healed people with the power of prayer to the Almighty. Many pagans converted to Christianity after seeing such miracles.
The last miracle happened when the saint was already in old age. The pagans sent mercenaries to her to desecrate the saint, but Thekla noticed the approaching danger in time and began to pray to the Savior. After this, the mountain parted and hid the righteous woman from the attackers. This is how the saint, whom the Orthodox Church ranked among the apostles of Jesus Christ, ended her life.
Monastery of Saint Thekla
The monastery of St. Thekla, where her relics are preserved, is located on the island of Cyprus in the village of Mosfiloti. Every year thousands of pilgrims from all over the world come to touch the relics of the saint.
According to legends, the monastery of St. Thekla in Cyprus was built in 1471 on the site where St. Helena found a healing spring almost a thousand years earlier. In 1744, the church was built, which was a single-nave basilica. At that time the monastery was for men. The iconostasis of the monastery appeared later, in the mid-18th century.
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On the territory of the monastery there is a healing spring that helps to heal from skin diseases. The water from the spring is used by both local residents and tourists, whose numbers are increasing every year. If you are in Cyprus, be sure to visit this wonderful place.
Three powerful prayers to Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla
To contact Equal-to-the-Apostles, use one of the following prayers.
1
Oh, long-suffering and wise First Martyr Theklo! With your soul you stand in heaven at the Throne of the Lord, and on earth, by the grace given to you, you perform various healings; look mercifully at the people who are coming and praying before your most pure image, asking for your help; extend your holy prayers to the Lord for us and ask us for forgiveness of our sins, healing for the sick, quick help for the grieving and needy; pray to the Lord to give us all a Christian death and a good answer at His terrible judgment, so that together with you we may be worthy to glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
2
O heavenly flower of chastity, o the first martyr of the New Testament, O Theklo, the bride of Christ, equal to the angels, purified by suffering and infused with the apostolic preaching, shone with purity, prosperous with many deeds and fragrant with glorious miracles! To whom let us liken you, O God-called one, who has trampled on every soul-destroying deception, pouring out the Holy Spirit into a vessel, a reservoir of wisdom, a source of healing, which cools the flames of all passions! Like a bright cloud, come and wash us with the rain of your prayer from mental and physical defilements. I have kindled a fire of love on my skin, make our hearts chaste and ignite love for Christ. As a sign of unyielding courage in suffering, strengthen our wavering hearts with the saving power of the Cross of the Lord; as our strong champion, I will take out those who are at enmity against us, the weak, and give us an invincible fiery shield, so that the cold demons, scorched by your prayers, may flee from us, and our bodies will be like temples of the Holy Spirit. To her, Theklo, wise and virtuous, turn away our eyes from the lusts of this world, so that we may betroth ourselves to Christ with an immaculate conscience; May our lamps be filled with the oil of chastity; we have sinned greatly by not maintaining fidelity to the Bridegroom Christ, and for this reason the imams have shut themselves outside the Bridal Chamber. Otherwise, do not reject your children who are praying to you, but, like a compassionate helper, clothe us in the vestments of the faith of strength, gird our loins with purity for the mortification of passions and the renewal of the spirit; Moreover, adorn our souls with meekness and humility, so that as children of God, like the lambs and sheep of Christ, we may pass through the temptations of this wicked world without restraint, and may we reach the longed-for Palace of Paradise, where all the wise virgins stand before the Throne of the Bridegroom of Christ, chanting the venerable Name of the Father and the Son , and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
3
O blessed holy first martyr, virgin equal to the apostles, the most praiseworthy Theklo, the true bride of Christ, the beauty of the firmament of the church, the mental morning star of Heaven, the most holy bead of purity and chastity, the fragrant blossom of the garden of Eden! You, who loved the very life of the only Lord more than all the good things, who suffered well for His Name, who was wondrously crowned by Him with the crowns of virginity, martyrdom and apostleship, who were included in the face of Heaven, even though you now rejoice in eternal glory, but did not abandon us who honor you, as a vigilant intercessor and merciful intercessor before God. And since your Bridegroom, sweetest Jesus, has given you the great grace, we humbly pray to you: heed the request of our hearts, do not leave us orphans in this world; visit us in the prison of existing sin, quickly raise us to vigorous repentance, teach our souls and bodies to maintain purity, direct us to the path of good deeds, inhale zeal towards the Gospel, infuse prayers with holy fire and lead us to Divine love. She, the kindly victorious first sufferer, since you can ask for many benefits from the Most Merciful Jesus our Savior, be a quick helper in this life. Intercede for us with angelic protection, heal the wounds and ulcers of the sick, send down grace-filled joy to those who mourn, protect youth and adolescence with purity, assist monks in labor and obedience, preserve indissoluble marriage, create invincible warriors in battles, and squander the enemies of the faith and the Holy Church. Christ, your prayer for us to the Lord, may He grant us a blameless course of life, a painless, comfortable, peaceful old age; I am not ashamed of the death, the Mysteries of the Most Holy, the Body and Blood of His Divine, I am a partaker, in the Kingdom of Heaven for us to abide there with the angels, and together with the saints to sing in the Trinity of the glorified God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit , to endless ages of ages. Amen.
Day of Remembrance
October 4 is considered the day of veneration of the saint in Orthodoxy.
Troparion, tone 4
Having learned the words of Pavlov, God-blessed Theklo, and having been strengthened by faith from Peter, the divinely called first martyr appeared and the first sufferer among women: you ascended into the flames, as if into a prosperous place, the animals and youths were afraid of you, armed with the cross. Thus pray, O all-validated Christ God, that our souls may be saved.
