ON SAINT THEODORE, PRESBYTER AND MARTYR, AT CAESAREA IN CAPPADOCIA.
CommentaryTheodore, Presbyter, Martyr at Caesarea in Cappadocia (Saint)
[1] Two Martyrs named Theodore are inscribed in the ancient Ecclesiastical calendars on March 19: of these, one, a Bishop, was assigned to the class of the many Martyrs, perhaps African, and the other was a Presbyter, for whom the most noble and ancient metropolis of Cappadocia, Caesarea, was given as the arena of his martyrdom, At Caesarea in Cappadocia, Saint Theodore the Presbyter, among Christians most widely known for its Episcopal See and the outstanding doctrine of Saint Basil the Great, about whose very many Martyrs of this city we have already and will hereafter frequently treat. From this Martyr Theodore, four Illustrious Martyrologies under the name of Saint Jerome begin this day, and with them other ancient manuscripts -- the Reichenau, Corbie, Laetian, Cassinese, Altempsi, Vatican and Roman Archive of Saint Peter's, Barberini, and others -- in these words: "On the fourteenth day before the Calends of April. At Caesarea in Cappadocia, of Saint Theodore the Presbyter." In the Trier manuscript of Saint Martin and some printed editions, "and Martyr" is added; in Notker he is called "Saint and pious." In some he is written as Theodolus, in another as Theodotus.
[2] wrongly called a Bishop by some, Because no other monuments of this Martyr are found, the Episcopal title of the other Theodore, whom we said is honored today with ecclesiastical cult, was transferred by error to this Martyr. Thus various Martyrologies of Usuard, augmented mainly for the use of Belgian Churches, have, together with the manuscript codex of Saint Cyriacus: "At Caesarea, of Theodore the Bishop," to which is sometimes added "and Martyr" with the region "of Cappadocia." placed on March 20. Hermann Greven calls him a Bishop and Confessor. Theodore, Martyr of Cappadocia, is placed on the following day in the Trier manuscript of Saint Martin, which we believe to be the same person.
[3] The manuscript Martyrology of Saint Lambert at Liege and Molanus in his Additions to Usuard have thus: seven companions added. "At Caesarea in Cappadocia, of Theodore the Bishop and seven others." Which is read thus in Galesin and Canisius: "At Caesarea in Cappadocia, of the most blessed Martyrs Theodore the Presbyter and his seven companions." We judge that these seven Martyrs should be assigned to the Africans, having been erroneously transferred here, and we omit them here, being about to treat of them shortly. Ferrarius in his General Catalogue writes thus: "At Caesarea in Cappadocia, of the holy Martyrs Theodore the Presbyter, Marianus, and six others." He cites in his Notes the Greek Menologion and says Diodorus is written; but this man and his Deacon Marianus are without companions and are not said to have suffered at Caesarea, whom we said above are venerated by the Latins on the first of December.