The iconographical type of saints Theodore Teron and Theodore Stratelates facing each other and its diffusion during the Byzantine and post-Byzantine period *

Among the most popular military saints of the Christian Church are saints Theodore Stratelates and Theodore Teron. Saint Theodore Stratelates was born in Euchaita of Galatia and from young age he became a soldier.1 He was martyred in the epoch of emperor Licinus (250–325) and his memory is venerated by the Orthodox Church on February 7. Saint Theodore Teron was born in Amaseia of Pontos in Cappadocia and became a soldier, to be martyred for the Christian faith in 306 in Amaseia of Asia Minor during the rule of emperor Maximianus (250–310).2 His memory is venerated by the Orthodox Church on February 17. Usually, the holy Theodores are depicted frontally, full figure, standing, either as military saints in warrior uniforms or as martyrs in luxury garments, in which case they are sometimes depicted in bust, inside a medallion.3 However, of special interest is the rather rare representation of saints Theodores Teron and Stratelates facing each other, in three-quarter view, receiving crowns of martyrdom from Christ or blessed by him. This iconographical type of saints Theodores was investigated in the past mainly by N. Izmajlova4 and L. Mavrodinova.5 However, in this article we should try to represent a complete study of it including many new examples of their representations found on lead seals, frescoes, icons and in the minor arts.

Among the most popular military saints of the Christian Church are saints Theodore Stratelates and Theodore Teron.Saint Theodore Stratelates was born in Euchaita of Galatia and from young age he became a soldier. 1 He was martyred in the epoch of emperor Licinus (250-325) and his memory is venerated by the Orthodox Church on February 7. Saint Theodore Teron was born in Amaseia of Pontos in Cappadocia and became a soldier, to be martyred for the Christian faith in 306 in Amaseia of Asia Minor during the rule of emperor Maximianus (250-310). 2His memory is venerated by the Orthodox Church on February 17.
Usually, the holy Theodores are depicted frontally, full figure, standing, either as military saints in warrior uniforms or as martyrs in luxury garments, in which case they are sometimes depicted in bust, inside a medallion. 3However, of special interest is the rather rare representation of saints Theodores Teron and Stratelates facing each other, in three--quarter view, receiving crowns of martyrdom from Christ or blessed by him.This iconographical type of saints Theodores was investigated in the past mainly by N. Izmajlova 4 and L. Mavrodinova. 5 However, in this article we should try to represent a complete study of it including many new examples of their representations found on lead seals, frescoes, icons and in the minor arts.
7 For example, the encolpion of Gennadios, the metropolitan of Serres, in the monastery of Great Lavra on Mount Athos (the 10th-12th c.), which unfortunately I could not check and see.Cf.N. P. Kondakov, Pamiatniki khristianskogo iskusstva na Afone, Sankt Petersburg 1902, 220; Izmajlov, Une steatite byzantine, 39, n. 3. 8 There are representations of the saints Theodores facing each other, where nowadays is preserved only the one figure because of the loss of one part of the icon.Such examples are the steatite icon with saint Theodore Stratelates in the Museum Sacro della Biblioteca Apostolica in Vatican teenth century 9 and continues with particular frequency during the post-Byzantine period from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century in mural painting, on icons and objects of the minor arts.We have to note that in general the iconographical type of saints facing each other in three quarter pose, the synthesis of the blessing or the crowning of military saints from Christ, is a theme which has already been known since the tenth century 10 on illuminated manuscripts and it is more frequent during the eleventh and twelfth century 11 on frescoes, objects of minor arts and portable icons. 12e earliest representations of saints Theodores Teron and Stratelates facing each other are known on lead seals (molubdoboula), as it is evident from the lead seals in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg (the eleventh or twelfth century), in the Collection of the Dumbarton Oaks in (the 11th c.) ‰I.Kalavrezou-Maxeiner, Byzantine Icons in Steatite, Wien  1985, pl. 7, fig.6; The Glory of Byzantium.Art and Culture of the Middle Byzantine Era A.D. 843-1261, New York 1997, 157-158, fig.104 (A.Weyl Carr); I. Kalavrezou, Interpreting carving techniques and styles in steatite icons, in: Buzantinej eikonej.Tecnh, tecnikh kai tecnologia, ed.M. Vasilake, Herakleio 2002, 328, 333, fig.3Š, the icon in steatite in the Historical Museum of Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria (the second half of the 11th-12th c.), where is preserved only the right part of the icon ‰P.Slav~ev, Ikona na svetec voin ot Carevec (XII-XIII v.), Arheologija 3 (1977) 60-65; A. V. Bank, Nekotorye skhodnye pamiatniki srednevekovoi melkoi plastiki, naidennye v Konstantinopole, Khersonese i v Bolgarii, Byzantinobulgarica  7 (1981) 113, fig.4; Kalavrezou-Maxeiner, op.cit., pl.15, fig.24a; Totev,  Icones, 126, fig.6; Treasures of Christian Art in Bulgaria, ed.V. Pace, Sofia 2001, 184, fig.61 (K.Totev)Š and the icon in steatite in the Museum of Chersonesus in Ukraine (the 11th-12th c.), where only the left part of the icon is preserved ‰cf. A. Xyngopoulos, H palaiocristianikh toicografia thj Rwmaikhj agoraj Qessalonikhj, Buzantina 9 (1977) 413, n. 4;Bank, op. cit., 114, fig. 5;Izmajlov, Une steatite byzantine, 41, fig. 21;Kalavrezou-Maxeiner, op. cit., pl. II, fig. 7, pl. 6, fig. 7;Vizantiiskii Kherson. Katalog vystavki, Moskva 1991, 89, fig. 88Š. 9 According to M. Vassilaki the iconographical scheme of saints Theodores facing each other is known after the middle of the 13th c. (M.Vasilake, Eikonej tou 17ou aiwna, in: M. Vasilake, I. Tavlakes, E. Tsigaridas, Iera Monh Agiou Paulou.Eikonej, Monastery of Aghiou  Pavlou 1998, 118).Contrarily, E. Tsigaridas considers that this iconographical type of saints Theodores is bringing in the iconography from the middle of the 14th c.; cf.E. N. Tsigaridas, Toicografiej thj periodou twn Palaiologwn se naouj thj Makedoniaj, Thessaloniki 1999, 217.K. Kirchhainer defines the temporal interval from the third quarter of the 14th c.; cf.K. Kirchhainer, Die Fresken der Marienkirche in Cerske bei Leskovik (Sudalbanien).Ein Beitrag zur spatbyzantinischen Monumentalmalerei im Nordlischen Epirus, Deltion CAE 25 (2004) 105.However, the mentioned scholars do not take into consideration the previous cited examples of this type on lead seals and on steatite icons.
10 For example, in the miniatures of the Menologion of Basil II (the end of the 10th c.); cf.Il Menologio di Basilio II (Cod.vaticano greco  1613), Torino 1907, 152, 259   Washington (the second half of the twelfth century) and in the Numismatic Museum in Athens (the second half or third quarter of the twelfth century).The lead seal in the Hermitage Museum (the eleventh or twelfth century) bears the representation of saints Theodores facing each other, with shields between them (fig.1). 13hey have hands raised in prayer to Christ, who is depicted in bust above them, blessing.Saints Theodores are not marked with inscriptions.
The lead seal in the Collection of Dumbarton Oaks (the second half of the twelfth century) presents the saints Theodores in three quarter view facing each other with hands raised in prayer to Christ, who is blessing them. 14On the right is represented saint Theodore Stratelates with the inscription: O / QE/O/DW/ROC / O CTR/ATH/LAT/HC, whereas the inscription of saint Theodore Teron, which was inscribed on the left, is now effaced.
On the lead seal from the Numismatic Museum of Athens (the second half or third quarter of the twelfth century) saints Theodores are depicted facing each other, in three--quarter view, raising hands to Christ who is blessing them.15They bear the inscriptions: O (AGIOC) QEODWRO(C) and O (AGIOC) QEODWRO(C).
In mural painting the depiction of saints Theodore Teron and Theodore Stratelates facing each other in three-quarter view has been known since the second half of the fourteenth century, on monuments from the broader area of Macedonia, mainly from Kastoria, Mount Athos, but also from Leskovik in South Albania and from medieval Serbia. 16articularly in Kastoria the representation of saints Theodores in this type occurs in the church of St. George tou Vounou (1368-1385) and St. Athanasius tou Mouzakis (1383/1384), but also in the vicinity of this city, in the church of Christ Zoodotes in Borje, near Korüe (1389/1390), a work of painters from Kastoria.Sporadic depictions of the theme are preserved in Mount Athos, in the parekklesion of St Demetrius of the Xenophontos monastery (the second or third quarter of the fourteenth century), in South Albania, like in the church of Virgin in Cerske near Leskovik (the end of the fourteenth century).However, in medieval Serbia, this iconographical theme occurs in St's Peter and Paul church in @i~a (the end of the fourteenth century).

In the church of Christ Zoodotes in
In the church of the Dormition of Virgin in Zevgostasi near Kastoria (1432) saints Theodores are depicted on the south wall of the main church. 24The painted layer at this place is not preserved in good condition because of the decolouration.Saints Theodores are standing up in three-quarters with hands raised in prayer to Christ, who is blessing them from a ray-shaped divine glory.In the Jo{anica monastery the depiction of saints Theodores facing each other, in three-quart length is in very bad condition of preservation due to the falling of the plaster on the left part of the theme, but also due to the discolouration. 28rom the preserved traces it seems that saints Theodores are in prayer pose to the hands of God, which are coming out of a semicircle divine glory above.The inscriptions are not preserved.
In  In the monastery of St. Nicholas in Balineôti (ca.1500) the saints Theodores facing each other are raising hands in prayer and reach rays of light from a polygonal divine glory above them. 30Inscriptions in old Slavonic read: Stâ› Ûeñdorâ /T›ron and Stâ› / Ûeodñr Stratilatâ.
In the Curtea de Argeô monastery (1526) saints Theodores are depicted facing each other, but unfortunately we could not confirm whether Christ is blessing or giving crowns. 31n the Dobrovañ monastery (1527-1530) the facing each other saints Theodores have hands raised to Christ Emmanuel, depicted in a ray-shaped divine glory, blessing.The inscriptions are in old Slavonic. 32n the Probota monastery (1530) the saints Theodores facing each other have hands raised in prayer to Christ Emmanuel, who is blessing them from a ray-shaped divine glory. 33The old Slavonic inscription which is preserved nowadays reads: Stâ› Ûeo/dñrâ Tiro‰nŠ.
In Coôula monastery (1537/1538) saints Theodores facing each other are dressed not in military, but in luxury garments (fig.9). 34They are depicted in prayer to Christ Emmanuel who is blessing them.There are no preserved inscriptions.
In During the seventeenth century the iconographical type of saints Theodores facing each other is found only sporadically in wall paintings, like in the church of Virgin Koubelidiki in Kastoria and in the monastery of Virgin in Si}evo near Ni{, Serbia. 36n the church of Virgin Koubelidiki in Kastoria the saints Theodores are depicted on the north wall of the narthex, flanking a niche in which is depicted saint George on horseback. 37 In the Monastery of the Virgin in Si}evo the quarter-view and facing each other saints Theodores are depicted in the west niche of the south wall of the main church wearing crowns on their heads. 38Their hands are raised to the divine glory, in which nether Christ is depicted, nor the hands of God.They bear old Slavonic inscriptions: stiâ› teo/dorâ /tironâ and stiâ› teodor stra/tilati.
The depictions of saints Theodore Teron and Stratelates facing each other are also known on portable icons, which originate mainly from the broader area of Macedonia, like Kastoria, Veroia, Mount Athos, Serres, Melnik, but also out of this area, like Berat of Albania and Sinai.The icons of saints Theodores facing each other date back to the twelfth (or the second half of the thirteenth) century till the seventeenth century and they are accounted on icons in the Museum of the Theological Academy in Kiev (the twelfth century), in the Byzantine Museum of Veroia (the second half of the thirteenth century and the last quarter of the fifteenth century), in the Byzantine Museum of Kastoria (the second half of the fourteenth century), in the collection of Hilandar monastery on Mount Athos (the second quarter or the end of the fourteenth century), in the Onufri National Museum in Berat (the sixteenth century), in the monastery of Saint Paul on Mount Athos (the seventeenth century), in the Trapeza of the Timios Prodromos monastery near Serres (the seventeenth century) and in the Museum of Blagoevgrad (the seventeenth century).
The icon of saints Theodores facing each other from the Sinai monastery (the twelfth century), now in the Museum of the Theological Academy in Kiev, presents the saints who are being given crowns by the Virgin. 39 The icon of saints Theodore Teron and Stratelates facing each other in the Trapeza of the Timios Prodromos monastery near Serres (the seventeenth century) depicts the saints dressed in military uniform, raising their hands to Christ, shown inside a polygonal divine glory, giving them crowns (fig.13). 46The inscriptions in white letters read: O AGIOC QEODOROC / O THRON and O AGIOC QEODOROC O CTRATH/LAT(HC), whereas another inscription in small black letters reads: douloj sou stal/ko.The saints have spotted halos.
The icon of saints Theodore Teron and Stratelates facing each other from the church of St. Nicholas in Melnik of Bulgaria (the seventeenth century), now in the Blagoevgrad Museum, belongs to the Metropolis of Nevrokop.Saints Theodores, dressed in military uniforms, are raising their hands in prayer to the divine glory, from which the hands of God are blessing. 47aints Theodores facing each other appear in works of the minor arts from the tenth (or twelfth) to the fifteenth century.Examples include the encolpion of the metropolitan of Serres, Gennadios, now in the monastery of Great Lavra on Mount Athos (the tenth or twelfth century), 48 and the ivory relief plaque of a cross from the Kremlin Museum in Moscow (the first half of the fifteenth century).
The ivory relief of a cross from the Kremlin Museum (the first half of the fifteenth century) depicts the saints Theodores facing each other with hands raised in prayer (fig.14). 49Above their heads are engraved inscriptions in old Slavonic, which read: ±e(odñr) t›ranã / ±e(odñr) stra-t›l(atã).The background of the plaque is metallic.
Based on the above considerations, we concluded that the iconographical type of saints Theodores facing each other is known from the twelfth century at the latest.It is more widely dispersed from the second half of the fourteenth century in wall paintings and on portable icons from the broader area of Macedonia, mainly from Kastoria, Veroia and Mount Athos.According to Ivan Drpi},50 this is due to  The second type with Christ who is blessing saints Theodores facing each other is present from the second half of the twelfth to the seventeenth century on lead seals, wall paintings and portable icons.As indicative we note the repre-51 This stone icon is described on an epigram from the beginning of the 13th c. composed by Nicholas-Nectarios of Otranto in Italy, who describes that it was to the patronage of a metropolitan John.This metropolitan, according to I. Drpi}, is identified with John, who signed two synodal acts in 1191 and in 1192 and whose lead seal is preserved in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection, cf.Drpi}, The Serres Icon, 38.
53 According to A. Grabar, the type of the saints turned one to other originates probably from Constantinople and it is concerned with the art of the East (Grabar, La peinture, 116).The same opinion had A. Orlandos (Ta buzantina mnhmeia, 153), without citing Grabar.The third iconographical type with saints Theodores, facing each other, without Christ or the hands of God, is known only from the post-Byzantine epoch, from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century.Such are the depictions of saints Theodores in the monasteries of St. George in Kremikovci near Sofia (fig.7), of St. Nicholas in Balineôti, Romania, of the Virgin in Si}evo, Serbia, and on an ivory relief from a cross in the Kremlin Museum (fig.14).
Unique, however, is the iconographical type where not Christ but Virgin is giving the crowns to saints Theodores, facing each other, like on the icon of saints Theodores from Sinai monastery, now in the Museum of the Theological Academy in Kiev.
In conclusion we have to note that the iconography of the saints Theodores facing each other appears during the middle Byzantine epoch of the eleventh-twelfth century, mainly on lead seals and icons in steatite.During the Palaiologan period since the end of the thirteenth and fourteenth century this iconographical type is vastly spread in wall painting and portable icons and continues with great frequency during the post-Byzantine period from the fifteenth till the seventeenth century.
It was confirmed that the depiction of saints Theodores facing each other is most widespread in Kastoria and its region, including the nearby Korüe.Therefore, based on investigation of these images, representations of saints Theodores facing each other are known in Kastoria and its region from the second half of the fourteenth to the seventeenth century and they appear in eight monuments and on one portable icon, 54 whereas in Veroia 55 and in Mount Athos, 56  Ikonografski tip sv.Teodora Tirona i sv.Teodora Stratilata okrenutih jedan ka drugom, poznat jo{ od CI-CII veka, uglavnom sa pe~ata i steatitskih ikona, ra{irio se u doba Paelologa, po~ev od druge polovine CIII i tokom CIV veka, a naro~ito tokom postvizantijske epohe od XV do XVII veka, kako u zidnom slikarstvu tako i u ikonopisu, a ne{to mawe u primewenoj umetnosti.

Fig. 1 .Fig. 2 .
Fig. 1.Lead seal in the Hermitage Museum, the 11th-12th century (photo: Hermitage Museum) They are standing, full figure, facing each other in three-quarter view with raised hands in prayer to Christ Emmanuel I(HCOU)C / C(RICTO)C.He is represented in bust, above them, and blessing from a semicircular divine glory (doxa).Saints Theodores are dressed in military vestments, a hiton, a short-sleeved thorax and a mantle.They have swords in thecas, which slip from their belts.Drop-shaped shields with ornamental motifs and vertically set lances among them.The saints are indicated with the inscription: ‰O AGIOC QEODWROC OŠ TH/‰RŠON and O AG(IOC) QEO‰DWROCŠ / O CTRATH/LATHC.In the church of St. Athanasius tou Mouzakis in Kastoria (1383/1384) the saints Theodores Teron and Stratelates facing each other in three-quarter view are depicted on the south wall of the main church. 18They have hands raised to Christ Emmanuel I(HCOU)C / C(RICTO)C, depicted in a semicircle ray-shaped divine glory, and giving them crowns.Saints Theodores are wearing military garments and are signed by the inscriptions: O AG(IOC) QEO-DWR(OC) / O THRWN and O AG(IOC) QEODWR(OC) / O CTRATHLATHC.

Fig. 3 .
Fig. 3. Church of Christ Zoodotes in Borje near Korüe (1389/1390) (photo: the author) Borje near Korüe in Albania (1389/1390), the saints Theodores Teron and Stratelates facing each other are depicted on the north wall of the main church (fig.3). 19At present, their figures are preserved only to the waist.They raise their hands in prayer to Christ Emmanuel, depicted in a ray-shaped divine glory with celestial powers, and giving them crowns of martyrdom.In artistic shaped tablets are preserved the inscriptions: O AG(I)OC / QEODW/ROC /O TIR(O)N and O AG(I)OC / QEODWROC / O CTRATHL‰ATHCŠ.In the parekklesion of St. Demetrius in the Xenophontos monastery on Mount Athos (the second or third quarter of the fourteenth century) saints Theodores are depicted on the south wall in a conch of the main church. 20Today there is preserved only the left figure of the one saint Theodore, probably Teron.He stands in three-quarter view with hands raised in prayer and dressed in military costume.There are not preserved inscriptions, as well as the figure of Christ, so we do not know whether he blesses or presents them crowns of martyrdom.In the church of Virgin in Cerske near Leskovik, Albania (the end of the fourteenth century) saints Theodores Teron and Stratelates are depicted on the north wall of the main church, in three quarter view, facing each other with raised hands to Christ I(HCOU)C C(RICTO)C, who blesses them from a double semicircle divine glory (fig.4). 21Saints Theodores bear the inscriptions: O AG(IO)C QEWDOROC / O CTRATI/LATHC and O AG(IO)C QEWDOR(O)C / O THRON.In a lunette of the entrance door of the exterior wall of the church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in @i~a (the end of the fourteenth century) saints Theodores are depicted to their knees, facing each other, with hands raised in prayer to Christ Emmanuel I(HCOU)C C(RICTO)C, who is depicted inside a semicircle divine glory, blessing (fig.5). 22Saints Theodores are represented in luxury garments and not in military, as is usual for this iconographical type, and wear crowns.Saint Theodore Teron is signed by the inscription in old Slavonic: stâ / Ûeñdor / Tironâ, whereas the inscription of saint Theodore Stratelates is destroyed.During the fifteenth century the iconographical type of saints Theodores facing each other is spread mainly on monuments from Kastoria, like in the church of Holy Three Martyrs (St.Abibos, St. Samonas and St. Gurias) (1400/1401), in the church of the Dormition of Virgin in Zevgostasi (1432), in the church of St. Andrew tou Rousouli (1441/1442) and mainly in works of the workshop of Kastoria in the end of the fifteenth century, like the church of St. Nicholas tis archontissas Theologinas (1490-1500), but as well as on the Balkans, in the monastery of St. George in Kremikovci near Sofia (1493) and in in two monasteries in Serbia, Jo{anica near Jagodina (the first half of the fifteenth century) and the monastery of St. John the Theologian in Poganovo near Pirot (1499/1500).

Fig. 4 .
Fig. 4. Church of Virgin in Cerske near Leskovik, the end of the 14th century (photo: the author)

Fig. 5 .
Fig. 5. Church of Sts Apostles Peter and Paul in @i~a, the end of the 14th century (photo: M. Markovi}, D. Vojvodi}) In the church of St. Andrew tou Rousouli in Kastoria (1441/1442) the representation of saints Theodores is depicted on the north wall of the main church. 25Nowadays only the right part of the theme is preserved, with the depiction of saint Theodore Stratelates in three-quarter view to the right signed by the inscription: QEODW/ROC / O CTRATH-LATHC.In the church of St. Nicholas tes archontissas Theologinas in Kastoria (1490-1500) on the north wall of the main church is preserved only the right part of the depiction of saints Theodores Teron and Stratelates. 26From the image of saint Theodore Stratelates O AGIOC QEODWRO/C / O CT/R/A/TH/LAT/‰HCŠ only the head is preserved , turned above to Christ I(HCOU)C / C(RICTO)C, who is giving him a crown of martyrdom.In the monastery of St. George in Kremikovci near Sofia (1493) saints Theodores facing each other are depicted on the north wall of the main church (fig.7). 27They are raising hands in prayer and are wearing crowns on their heads.Above them is depicted a semicircle divine glory, without the image of Christ or the hands of God.They bear inscriptions in old Slavonic which read: St› /Ûeodñr /Tirñn and St› /Ûeodñr /Strati /latã the monastery of St. John the Theologian in Poganovo (1499/1500) the facing each other saints Theodores are represented on the west wall of the main church, left to the entrance door.They have hands raised in deeisis to the semicircle divine glory above them, from which the hands of God are giving them crowns of martyrdom.The old Slavonic inscriptions read: Stâ› /Ûeñ/dor /Turon and Stâ› /Ûeodñr /Stratilatâ (fig.8). 29
Saints Theodores are represented in three-quart view, extending their hands in prayer.Above them, left and right, in semicircle divine glories the hands of God I(HCOU)C / C(RICTO)C are giving them crowns of martyrdom.Above saints Theodores the inscriptions reads: O AG(I)OC QEODORO(C) / O THRON and O AG(I)OC QEODOROC O CTRATI/LATH(C).

Fig. 11 .
Fig. 11.Icon in the Byzantine Museum in Veroia, the last quarter of the 15th century (after: Saints de Byzance, fig.25)
sentations on lead seals in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Numismatic Museum in Athens, in St. George tou Vounou Church in Kastoria (fig.2), in Virgin in Cerske near Leskovik in south Albania (fig.4), in Sts Peter and Paul church in @i~a of Serbia (fig.5), in the Dormition of Virgin church in Zevgostasi near Kastoria, in the Romanian monasteries of Dobrovañ, Probota and Coôula (fig.9), but also in portable icons, like these in the Byzantine Museum of Veroia, in the Hilandar monastery on Mount Athos, in the Byzantine Museum of Kastoria, in the Byzantine Museum of Veroia (fig.11), in the Onufri National Museum in Berat, Albania (fig.12) and in the Monastery of Saint Paul on Mount Athos.The variant of this type with the hands of God blessing the saints Theodores is seen only in Jo{anica monastery, Serbia (the first half of the fifteenth century) and on an icon from the St. Nicholas church in Melnik, now in the Museum of Blagoevgrad in Bulgaria (the seventeenth century).