Every day millions of believers ask an important question: what holiday is today in the Church calendar, what are the folk signs and customs, what is strictly forbidden on this day, whose name day is celebrated, and how to call down God’s blessing on the family through a strong prayer. September 11 is a special day in the Orthodox calendar (new calendar / Revised Julian): the Church commemorates the Venerable Theodora of Alexandria — an ascetic of the fifth century whose life became one of the most touching models of true repentance in the history of the Church. In folk tradition this day was called Theodora’s Evenings. This guide explores the life of the Venerable Theodora, the folk traditions of the day, the spiritual laws of repentance, and offers the canonical prayers.
1. The Orthodox Feast — the Venerable Theodora of Alexandria
The Venerable Theodora of Alexandria lived in Alexandria of Egypt in the fifth century and was a married woman who led a righteous life. According to tradition, once she committed a grave sin — she betrayed her husband. Unable to bear the burden of guilt, Theodora deeply repented and decided to dedicate the rest of her life to serving God in order to atone for her sin. So that no one could find her and condemn her, she cut her hair, dressed in men’s clothing and went to a desert monastery, calling herself by the male name Theodore.
In the monastery Theodora lived in silence, prayer and fasting, revealing her secret to no one. But the trials did not end: a certain woman, being angered with her, took revenge — she bore an illegitimate child and slandered Theodora, accusing her of fatherhood. The saint humbly accepted even this undeserved trial: she took the stranger’s infant and for seven years lived with it in a hut near the monastery, raising it as her own. Later the abbot took pity and ordered her to return to the monastery with the boy. After this Theodora lived two more years in silence and died. Only then did the brethren learn the truth: the one who had died was a woman, not a man. All who had offended her immediately repented, and her husband, learning of his wife’s feat, also took monastic vows in the same monastery; the boy whom the saint had raised later became the abbot of that monastery.
The life of the Venerable Theodora is one of the deepest models of what true repentance is: not despair and not self-torment, but a decisive turning to God, the patient bearing of one’s cross and humility even before undeserved offenses. The Church sets her up as a model for all who have fallen and wish to rise, who bear undeserved accusations and who seek the way back to God. The Venerable Theodora is prayed to for the forgiveness of sins, for patience in sorrows, for protection from slander and false accusations, and also for harmony in marriage.
2. The Catholic Feast — the Days after the Nativity of the Theotokos
In the Roman Catholic Church the first days after the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos (September 8) continue the joyful period when the faithful continue to pray to the Theotokos and to give thanks to God for the gift of Her birth. In the Western martyrologies this day also commemorates early Christian saints and ascetics, whose names the Church reads together with the Venerable Theodora. For Ukrainian believers this day is an occasion to pray for forgiveness, for patience in undeserved sorrows, and that God may help us to bear our cross with humility, as the Venerable Theodora bore hers.
3. What Is Forbidden on September 11 — Theodora’s Evenings: Signs and Customs
In the folk calendar September 11 is Theodora’s Evenings, a day dedicated to the Venerable Theodora. The main customs of the day: to gather as a family in the evening for common prayer and a quiet meal; to pray to the Venerable Theodora for the forgiveness of sins and harmony in the family; to ask for protection from slander and false accusations. It was believed that on this day one must especially keep peace in the home and not quarrel, for the Venerable Theodora herself bore her cross silently and humbly all her life. Folk signs for September 11: clear and calm weather — a warm autumn; rain on this day — a wet September; much spiderweb — a clear autumn; cranes flying high and slowly — a late winter; if the evening is clear and starry — the autumn will be long.
What is forbidden on September 11: one must not quarrel, swear or wish evil on one’s neighbor — the day dedicated to the ascetic of repentance teaches peace and gentleness; one should not gossip, slander or speak ill of one’s neighbor, for the Venerable Theodora herself suffered from slander; one must not refuse help to those who ask; one should not recall old offenses and quarrels, for the day teaches forgiveness; by belief, one should not begin great undertakings without prayer on this day. Instead, the day is best given to prayer for forgiveness, family harmony, a quiet home meal and works of mercy.
4. The Spiritual Laws of Life: the Law of Repentance and the Commandment of Love
The prayer life of a Christian obeys unshakable spiritual laws. The first for this day is the law of repentance. The Venerable Theodora teaches that true repentance is not despair and not self-torment, but a decisive turning to God. The Apostle Paul teaches: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18). When we sincerely repent of our sins and at the same time thank God for His mercy, we release the power of His grace, which cleanses the heart and restores peace. The second is the fulfilment of the Commandments of Love for God and neighbour (Mt. 22:37-39): the Venerable Theodora, even before an undeserved accusation, did not grow bitter but took a stranger’s infant and raised it with love. Let us too learn not to grow bitter before injustice but to answer evil with love — and then our heart, like the heart of the Venerable Theodora, will find peace even in the hardest trials.
5. Hesychast Watchfulness (Nepsis) and Prayer on the Rope
In Orthodox hesychasm and the Athonite tradition, spiritual watchfulness (nepsis) is the foundation of the soul’s salvation, and the Venerable Theodora is the model of such watchfulness: for seven years she silently bore an undeserved accusation, keeping her heart in God. When our mind is attacked by thoughts of despair, guilt or offense, the hesychasts advise immediately cutting them off with the short, rhythmic prayer on the rope (komboskini), joining it with the invocation of the Venerable Theodora. A short prayer for the day:
Venerable mother Theodora, teach me sincere repentance and patience in sorrows, protect me from slander and false accusations, and entreat Christ God to save my soul.
6. The Power of Communal Prayer
Communal prayer has the promise of extraordinary power from the Lord Himself: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt. 18:20). Dear brothers and sisters! We invite you to join the prayer circle on Pray.ee. If you wish to pray for the forgiveness of sins, for patience in undeserved sorrows, for protection from slander, if your loved ones are going through illness, hardship or danger, or if you simply wish to congratulate your Theodoras, Theodores, Sergeis, Johns, Euphrosynes, Basils, Gregorys, Demetriuses, Ias, Arcadiuses, Peters and Alexanders on their name day, write the names (for health and God’s protection) and your needs in the comments below. Our great Christian family will remember them daily in prayers before the Throne of God, asking the intercession of the Venerable Theodora, peace for families and a good year.
7. A Living Testimony: Theodora’s Prayer for the Unjustly Offended
Parish chronicles and home testimonies preserve many stories of the intercession of the Venerable Theodora for the unjustly offended. Oksana’s family from Cherkasy tells one of them. Her daughter Natalia was unjustly accused of theft at work, though she was innocent; the matter was brought to the management, and Natalia faced dismissal and even trial. The family was in despair. Oksana remembered the feast of the Venerable Theodora, who herself suffered from slander, and began to pray to her every day for her daughter, reading the prayer to her together with the prayer for the falsely offended. “I did not ask for revenge, but for justice and patience for my daughter,” Oksana recalls. After several weeks it turned out that the real culprit had been found, and all accusations were dropped from Natalia, and the management apologized. “I do not know whether it was a miracle in the direct sense,” Oksana says. “But I know that all those weeks I was not praying into emptiness, but to one who herself knows what an unjust slander is and how to bear it with humility. Now every year on Theodora’s feast my daughter and I go to church to give thanks.”
8. The Strongest Canonical Prayers of the Day
Troparion of the Venerable Theodora of Alexandria, Tone 8:
In you, O mother, what is in the image of God was saved, for, taking up the cross, you followed Christ and by your deed taught us to despise the flesh, for it passes away, but to care for the soul, a thing immortal. Therefore, O Venerable Theodora, your spirit rejoices with the angels.
Prayer to the Venerable Theodora for Forgiveness and Patience (home prayer of the day)
O Venerable mother Theodora, ascetic of repentance and patience! All your life you bore your cross silently and humbly, and even before an undeserved accusation you did not grow bitter but raised a stranger’s child with love. Hear our prayer: intercede for us sinners, ask for us from the Lord sincere repentance, patience in sorrows and protection from all slander and false accusation; teach us not to grow bitter before injustice but to answer evil with love, so that we too by your prayers may glorify the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who was the Venerable Theodora of Alexandria?
The Venerable Theodora of Alexandria was an ascetic of the fifth century who lived in Alexandria of Egypt. After a grave sin she repented, dressed in men’s clothing and went to a monastery under the name Theodore. For seven years she silently bore an undeserved accusation, raising a stranger’s child, and only after her death did the brethren learn that she was a woman. Her life became a model of true repentance and patience.
Why is September 11 called Theodora’s Evenings?
In the folk calendar September 11 was called Theodora’s Evenings in honor of the Venerable Theodora. On this day it was customary to gather as a family in the evening for common prayer and a quiet meal, to pray for the forgiveness of sins and harmony in the family, to keep peace in the home and not to quarrel.
What is prayed for to the Venerable Theodora of Alexandria?
The Venerable Theodora is prayed to for the forgiveness of sins, for patience in sorrows and undeserved accusations, for protection from slander and false accusations, and also for harmony in marriage. She is considered the patroness of those who repent and bear undeserved sorrows.
Whose name day is September 11?
The Theodoras, Theodores, Sergeis, Johns, Euphrosynes, Basils, Gregorys, Demetriuses, Ias, Arcadiuses, Peters and Alexanders celebrate their name day, whose saints are commemorated on this day.
10. Sources
1. September 11: the memory of the Venerable Theodora of Alexandria — Ukrainian-language version of this article: pray.ee (11 вересня).
2. Venerable women of early Christianity: general overview — Wikipedia article: en.wikipedia.org (Desert Fathers).