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Theodorus of Tabenna

Wace's Dictionary of Early Christian Biography

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Theodorus (53), priest and abbat of Tabenna in the Thebaid. Born A.D. 314, of noble parents in the Upper Thebaid, he forsook, at an early age, his worldly prospects, and found asylum with Palaemon the anchorite, and then in the monastery at Tabenna with Pachomius, under whom he became oeconomus. When Pachomius died Theodorus was offered the abbacy, but withdrew in favour of Orsisius, on whose retirement he succeeded, made many reforms, visited the subject monasteries, and founded 5 new ones at or near Ptolemais, Hermothis, Caius, Obi, and Bechre (Boll. AA. SS. Mai, iii. 327–328). During the lifetime of Pachomius Theodorus met St. Athanasius in the Thebaid, and is said to have announced to him the death of the emperor Julian, then occurring in Persia (Athan. Opp. ii. 695). St. Athanasius had a great regard for Theodorus, and bewailed his decease ( Epp. ad Orsisium in Patr. Gk. xxvi. 978). St. Nilus ( de Orat. c. 8) gives an anecdote of him. He died A.D. 367 (Tillem. H. E. vii. 225) or 368 (Boll. u.s. 291). Gennadius ( de Script. Eccl. i. 8) calls him presbyter, and gives the substance of 3 epistles he is said to have addressed to other monasteries. Boll. u.s. 287–362, give the most elaborate account of Pachomius and Theodorus. Fabric. Bibl. Graec. ix. 318; Tillem. H. E. vii. 469 seq. 758 seq.; Cave, Hist. Lit. i. 208; Ceill. Aut. Sacr. iv. 233 seq. 391.

[J.G.]