Saints Home

Disability Access

Melkite Greek Home
Home
Alphabetical Index
Thesaurus
Site Map

All Saints
Theotokos
John Baptist

Alphabetically
Andrew, First-Called
Ann, Ancester
Ann, Prophetess
Antony, Great
Apostles
Athanasios, Great
Barbara, Martyr
Bartholomew, Apostle
Basil, Great
Bacchus, Martyr
Catherine, Martyr
Demetrios, Myroblite
Dorotheos of Gaza
Elias, Tishbite
Ephrem, Syrian
Evangelists
George, Triumphant
Gregory of Nyssa
Gregory Palamas
Gregory, Theologian
Helena, Sovereign
Holy Hierarchs
Ignatios, God-Bearer
James, Apostle
James, Brother of Christ
Joachim, Ancester
John Chrysostom
John Climacus
John, Theologian
Joseph
Jude, Brother of the Lord Kyrollos, Alexandria
Luke, Evangelist
Macrina, Mother
Mark, Evangelist
Mary Magdalen
Mary Christ Crucified
(Mariam Barwardy)

Mary of Egypt
Matthew, Evangelist
Meletios, Antioch
Myrrh-bearing Women
Nicholas, Myra
Paul, Apostle
Peter, Apostle
Philip, Apostle
Sergius, Martyr
Simeon Just
Simon Zealot, Apostle
Thecla, Protomartyr
Thomas, Apostle
Zechariah, Prophet

Saints by month
Saints by month

Saint of Day
CyberTypicon
Eparchy of Newton

Holy CrossWeb Site Home  -  Theology Home  -  Hierarchy Home  -  Locations Home  -  Education Home  -   Stewardship Home  -   Links Home  -   Vendors Home  -  Alphabetical Index Home  -  Thesaurus Home  -  Sitemap Home  -  Arabic fonts

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla / Tecla

According to ancient tradition, The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla / Tecla was converted by St. Paul at Iconium of Lycaonia and at Antioch of Pisidia. The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla is considered to be the first female martyer by many experts.

Biography

24 September - The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla

The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla is the Thecla in the apocryphal "Acta Pauli et Theclae" (Acts of Paul and Thecla). Our knowledge of her is derived exclusively from "Acta Pauli et Theclae", which appeared about 180 A.D.

The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla was a young noble virgin who listened to The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Paul's "discourse on virginity" and became The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Paul's follower and a Disciple of his teachings and Ministry. The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla's mother and her fiancé Thamyris became concerned The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla would follow The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Paul's demand "one must fear only one God and live in chastity", and punished both The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Paul and The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla.

The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla was miraculously saved from burning at the stake by the onset of a storm and traveled with The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Paul to Antioch of Pisidia. There a nobleman named Alexander desired The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla and attempted to take her by force. The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla fought him off, assaulting him in the process, and was put on trial for assaulting a nobleman. The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla was sentenced to be eaten by wild beasts, but was again saved by a series of miracles when the female beasts protected her against her male aggressors.

With the consent of The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Paul, The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla had acted as a "female Apostle" in proclaiming the Gospel.

The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla dedicated herself to perpetual virginity as a result of listening to the preaching of the The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Paul.

Kontakion, Troparion, Exapostilarion, and Vespers Sticheron or Doxastikon

Kontakion of the Preparation (Tone 8)
Jesus, your lamb Thecla cries out to You with great love: " O my Bridegroom, I long for you in great pain, I am crucified with You, and in baptism I am buried with You. I suffer for your sake in order to reign with You, I die for You in order to live in You. Accept me as an immaculate victim, since I am immolated for your love" Through her intercession, O Merciful One, save our souls! or O glorious Thekla, virginity was your splendor, The crown of martyrdom your adornment and the faith you trust! You turned a burning fire into refreshing dew, And with your prayers appeased pagan fury, O First Woman Martyr!

Troparion (TONE 4)
You were enlightened by the words of Paul, O Bride of God, Thekla, And your faith was confirmed by Peter, O Chosen One of God. You became the first sufferer and martyr among women, By entering into the flames as into a place of gladness. For when you accepted the Cross of Christ, The demonic powers were frightened away. O all-praised One, intercede before Christ God that our souls may be saved.

More information

The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla Saint Joseph Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Click on Feasts of Major Saints

The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla Catholic Encyclopedia

Ikon

The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thecla Saint Joseph Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Lawrence, Massachusetts, Click on Feasts of Major Saints


Web Site Home  -  Theology Home  -  Hierarchy Home  -  Locations Home  -  Education Home  -   Stewardship Home  -   Links Home  -   Vendors Home  -  Alphabetical Index Home  -  Thesaurus Home  -  Sitemap Home  -  Arabic fonts


Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Martha Liles
Web URL address: Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center or https://www.mliles.com/melkite/
E-mail: mliles@mliles.com or mliles@mliles.com

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is an unofficial Melkite Greek Catholic Web site and has not been reviewed or approved by any Melkite clergy person.
Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center contains a range of World Wide Web sites on Melkite faith, belief, practice, history, etc. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center does not endorse any World Wide Web site nor takes any responsibility for the contents of any World Wide Web site. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center offers these links with the understanding that Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center can not vouch for any of the contents on each site. Listing a site does not indicate acceptance nor endorsement of the doctrines / ideas / theology of the World Wide Web site. Please remember that Web sites will change their content and their location. It is the user's responsibility to decide whether or not the content on a particular World Wide Web site is appropriate.

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

This site copyright©2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020 Martha Liles. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: Saturday, June 06, 2020, 19:05:26, CDT
The current date and time is: Friday, March 29, 2024, 10:06:57, CDT or Friday, March 29, 2024, 15:06:57, GMT