Hierarch
Saint (Hierarch) Theodore of Suzdal
X в. — † не позднее 1023
Also known as: Феодор, епископ Суздальский, Феодор, епископ Ростовский и Суздальский, Феодор I, первый епископ Ростовский
A Greek in the retinue of Metropolitan Michael of Kiev who became the first bishop of Rostov (c. 990); driven out by pagans, he enlightened the Suzdal land and died in Suzdal no later than 1023.
Saint Theodore, the first bishop of Rostov, was a Greek who came to Rus' from Constantinople in the retinue of Metropolitan Michael, the first metropolitan of Kiev. After the Baptism of Kiev in 988, about 990 (or 992) the metropolitan consecrated him bishop of the newly founded see of Rostov, where he built the city's first, wooden, church of the Mother of God.
Meeting fierce opposition from the pagans of Rostov, he withdrew to the area of the future Suzdal, where he preached, destroyed pagan shrines, built churches and baptized many; for this he became known as Theodore of Suzdal. Around 1010 he returned to Rostov with Prince Boris, but after Boris's murder he was again driven out and died in Suzdal no later than 1023.
He was buried in the Nativity cathedral of Suzdal; his relics, found before the Mongol invasion, were placed in a silver shrine in 1794 and in 1998 transferred to the Kazan church of Suzdal. Feast: 8 (21) June; also 23 May (5 June) with the Saints of Rostov and Yaroslavl and 23 June (6 July) with the Saints of Vladimir.