Venerable Theophanes the Confessor, Hymnographer, Bishop of Nicaea (†c. 850) — October 11 / October 24 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, October 11 according to the Julian Calendar (October 24 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates Venerable Theophanes the Confessor, Hymnographer, Bishop of Nicaea.

Venerable Theophanes the Confessor, hymnographer and Bishop of Nicaea, was born in Arabia. He was the younger brother of Venerable Theodore the Branded (commemorated December 27). The brothers received a brilliant education and were especially drawn to philosophy. A thirst for the knowledge of God led them to the Lavra of Saint Sabbas. There Venerable Theophanes was tonsured a monk, and several years later he was ordained a hieromonk.

The holy brothers were glorified before the Lord during the tyranny of the iconoclasts. At the request of the Patriarch of Jerusalem they travelled to Constantinople and denounced the heretical Emperor Leo the Armenian (813–820). Later the chosen ones of the Lord also admonished the iconoclast emperors Michael the Stammerer (Balbus) (820–829) and Theophilus (829–842), explaining to them the holy practice of the veneration of icons.

The blessed confessors suffered for twenty-five years for the defence of the holy icons. By order of Emperor Theophilus, executioners carved insulting words onto their faces with red-hot needles (for this reason the holy fathers are called the “Graptoi,” that is, “the Branded”). “Write what you wish — you will read your writing at the Dread Judgment,” the blessed brothers told the autocrat. Theodore died in prison (†833), while Theophanes was sent into exile. After the restoration of the veneration of icons he returned from exile and was consecrated Bishop of Nicaea. The hierarch wrote nearly one hundred and fifty canons, among them a remarkable canon in defence of the veneration of the holy icons. Around the year 850 he peacefully commended his soul to the Lord.