The Miracle of Saint Theodore the Recruit With the Kollyva (For Children)

Saint Theodore the Recruit was a Roman soldier who suffered for believing in Christ in Asia Minor at the beginning of the 4th century (about 300 years after Christ), during the rule of the pagan Roman emperor Galerius who persecuted Christians. But many people know about this great Saint because of a miracle that happened after his death.

About 50 years after Saint Theodore’s martyrdom, a Roman emperor named Julian the Apostate ruled in Constantinople. He was the nephew of Saint Constantine the Great. Although he had once been a Christian, Julian turned away from Christ and became a pagan like his ancestors before Constantine.

At the beginning of Great Lent, Julian decided to mock the Christians. He secretly ordered the governor of Constantinople to sprinkle the food in the marketplace with blood from animals that had been sacrificed to pagan gods.

The Apostles had taught Christians not to eat food offered to idols or food mixed with blood (Acts 15:29), and the emperor knew this very well. His evil plan was kept secret and would have succeeded — but God worked a miracle.

Saint Theodore appeared in a dream to the Archbishop of Constantinople, Eudoxios. The Saint told him to warn the Christians not to buy any food from the markets, but instead to prepare food at home called kollyva — boiled wheat mixed with honey.

The Archbishop quickly gathered the Christians, told them about the Saint’s appearance, and gave them his message. When the emperor saw that his plan had failed and the Christians were not deceived, he canceled his order.

To remember this miracle, the Church honors Saint Theodore the Recruit on the first Saturday of Great Lent. On the Friday before, after the special Lenten service, prayers are offered to Saint Theodore. On this day, kollyva is blessed in church and shared with everyone.

(Illustrations by Ksenia Naumova)

 

A Sample Sermon for Children at the Presanctified Divine Liturgy

A Sample Sermon for Children at the Presanctified Divine Liturgy 

By His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos III of Mani

First of all, I want to congratulate you for coming to church today and for standing quietly and reverently here in the house of God.

I will say a few words to you about the Presanctified Divine Liturgy — this special Liturgy — which is celebrated only during this period of Great Lent. The wise Fathers of our Church established the Presanctified Divine Liturgy because during this time we cannot celebrate the regular, bright, and complete Divine Liturgy, as we call it. And this is because this period is penitential — a time of fasting, greater self-restraint, and prayer — a time of more intense spiritual struggles. We say everything in a lower tone of voice, the lights are few, everything is more compunctionate. Whereas when we celebrate the regular Divine Liturgy, everything is bright, joyful, and full of praise.

It is called “Presanctified” because the Precious Gifts — that is, the Bread and the Wine offered on the Holy Altar — have already been changed into the Body and Blood of Christ at the previous Divine Liturgy. That is, they have been sanctified beforehand.