Biography
Theodoret of Antioch
About Theodoret of Antioch
Theodoret was a Christian priest at Antioch who suffered martyrdom during the reign of Emperor Julian. His story is associated with the protection of the church’s sacred vessels and the actions of the emperor’s uncle, also named Julian, who governed the East.
Sozomen’s Church History tells how the governor sought to seize the church’s valuable offerings for the imperial treasury and close its places of prayer. While the other clergy fled, the priest Theodoritus remained. As keeper of the treasures, he was arrested and questioned about them. Sozomen describes his steadfast confession under torture and says that the governor ordered his execution by the sword.
A Greek parchment published by Marianna Thoma and Amphilochios Papathomas in 2025 offers an early witness to his Passion. They date it most probably to the sixth century and identify its fragmentary dialogue and martyrdom scene with Theodoret. Its version differs from the later medieval texts. The surviving fragments preserve only portions of the story.
His memory also traveled beyond Antioch. The French Catholic calendar Nominis identifies him as the traditional patron of Uzès because relics associated with him were brought there. It lists a local feast on 23 October.
The Greek Orthodox Church commemorates him on 3 March, according to the 2025 scholarly study. The dates reflect different commemorative traditions.
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