Difference between revisions of "Theodora of Vasta"

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The holy-virgin martyr ''''''Theodora of Vasta'''''', Arcadia, Megalopolis of the Peloponnese in Greece is commemorated by the Church [[September 11]]. 3rd century, not to be confused with St. Theodora of Alexandria (d. 491) who is also commemorated September 11 by the church.
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The holy and glorious Virgin-martyr '''Theodora of Vasta''', Arcadia, Megalopolis, of the Peloponnese in Greece, is commemorated by the Church on [[September 11]]. She is not to be confused with St. Theodora of Alexandria (d. 491) who is commemorated on the same day.  She is reported to have lived in various centuries: third,{{citation}} seventh,<ref>[http://users.hol.gr/~spyrosy/vasta/ Το θαύμα στη Βάστα] (Greek)</ref> tenth,<ref>[http://www.thranesen.dk/?cat=686&aid=6535&back=12_3758_tid_ASC#bm6535 Theodora den hellige fra Vasta - munken, der rettelig var en kvinde] (Danish)</ref> and eleventh.<ref>[[w:Vasta|Vasta]] on Wikipedia</ref>
  
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==The Chapel of St. Theodora in Vasta==
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==Life==
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The Chapel of St. Theodora is located just outside the village Vasta of Megalopoli in Peloponnese of Greece. It was built anywhere between the 10th and 12th century. It has a domed roof with a spring beneath its foundations and 17 trees growing from its roof. According to the tradition, we are informed that the “construction” of the church is intimately linked with the martyrdom of Theodora. Just before being executed, she prayed to God asking that:
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According to tradition, Theodora joined the army at a young age to support her family who were poor. Since her family had no heirs, she was forced to disguise herself as a man to be able to participate in the army and earn her wages.
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'''Let my body be a church, my hair a forest of trees, and my blood a spring to water them..'''.
 
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This small chapel, is approximately 2 metres wide by 2 metres long, and supports 17 large trees that emerge from the rooftop and the walls of the chapel, with each tree weighing close to a tonne each and over 20 metres high.  
 
  
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For hundreds of years, the roots of the trees have not been visible under the few centimetre thick roof and neither inside or outside the thin chapel walls. Locals could not find a scientific explanation to give an explanation for this phenomenon.  
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While she was serving, a young girl fell in love with her and told the commander that she was pregnant with Theodora's child.  The commander was forced to deal with the scandal and Theodora was forced to either marry the girl or sacrifice herself.
  
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Many researches have spent years studying this structure, conducting all sorts of scientific studies even X-raying the walls but finding no explanation for the roots of the trees.
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==Chapel of St. Theodora in Vasta==
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The Chapel of St. Theodora is located just outside the village Vasta of Megalopolis in the Peloponnese of Greece. It was built between the 10th and 12th centuries. According to tradition, the construction of the church is intimately linked with the [[martyr]]dom of Theodora. Just before being executed, she prayed to God:
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:''Let my body be a church, my hair a forest of trees, and my blood a spring to water them.''
  
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In 2003, a geophysical report was presented at the 4th Symposium of Archaeometry in Greece. The results of this investigation proved that the roots followed the gaps existing inside the stonewall of the chapel creating repulsion stresses between the stones and thus reaching the ground.
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This small chapel supports 17 large trees that emerge from the roof and the walls of the chapel. Each tree weighs close to a tonne and stands over 20 metres high. For hundreds of years, the roots have not been visible. Locals could not find a scientific explanation for this phenomenon. Many researchers have spent years studying this structure, even X-raying the walls, but have no explanation for the roots of the trees. In 2003, a geophysical report was presented at the 4th Symposium of Archaeometry in Greece. The results of this investigation proved that the roots followed the gaps existing inside the stone wall of the chapel creating repulsion stresses between the stones and thus reaching the ground.
  
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The entire building is under considerable pressure due to the large load of the trees and the true miracle is that after hundreds of years, and given the exceptional physical circumstances, the chapel survives with no damages to the structure or the trees.
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The entire building is under considerable pressure due to the large load of the trees and it is a miracle that after hundreds of years, the chapel survives with no damage to the structure or to the trees.  A spring comes out from underneath the chapel and irrigates the trees.  
  
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There is a spring that comes out from underneath the chapel that irrigates the trees.
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==Reference==
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<references />
  
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==Life==
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==Sources==
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According to tradition, Theodora joined the army, at a young age, to support her family who were poor. Since her family had no heirs, she was forced to disguise herself as a man to be able to participate in the army and earn her wages.
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*[http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1403885207028097777rJVdAd The Little Church of St. Theodora with the 17 Logs - Arcadia, Greece] photograph
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While she was serving, a young girl fell in love with her and told the commander that she was pregnant with Theodora’s child.
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*[http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo845232.htm Ag Theodora] photograph
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The commander was forced to deal with the scandal and Theodora was forced to either admit this offence or sacrifice herself.
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*[http://www.geevideos.com/watch/1319023934/saint-theodoras-church/ Saint Theodora's church] video
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*[http://users.hol.gr/~spyrosy/vasta/ Το θαύμα στη Βάστα] "The miracle of Vasta" (Greek)
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*[[w:Vasta|Vasta]] on Wikipedia
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*[http://www.archaeometry.gr/oldv/symposium2003/pages_en/abstracts/papers/geophysical/geo8.htm The Geophysical Research at the Church of Saint Theodora at Vasta Megaloupolis] abstract from the 4th Symposium on Archaeometry, May 28-31 2003.
  
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==External Sources==
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==External link==
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*[http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1403885207028097777rJVdAd Webshot of the church of St. Theodora] uploaded July 25, 2005 by user “goneis”.
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*[http://www.oramaworld.com/product_info.php/products_id/110120/p/Theodora_of_Vasta.html Theodora of Vasta] icon
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*[http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo845232.htm Photo of St. Theodora’s church by night with author’s description of the church, November 25, 2007] off trekearth – Copyright to Stelios Kritikakis.
 
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*[http://www.geevideos.com/watch/1319023934/saint-theodoras-church/ Watch saint theodora's church video clip] 2min 16 sec added by OPLITSO on Geevideos.
 
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*[http://users.hol.gr/~spyrosy/vasta/ “The miracle of Vasta”] article posted with pictures in Greek by “Stephanos”.
 
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* About the village of [[w:Vasta]] in Arcadia on Wikipedia.
 
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*[http://www.archaeometry.gr/oldv/symposium2003/pages_en/abstracts/papers/geophysical/geo8.htm The Geophysical Research at the Church of Saint Theodora at Vasta Megaloupolis] – 4th Symposium on Archaeometry, May 28-31 2003.
 
  
 
[[Category:Saints]]
 
[[Category:Saints]]
 
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
 
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
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[[Category:Martyrs]]

Revision as of 21:28, March 19, 2008

The holy and glorious Virgin-martyr Theodora of Vasta, Arcadia, Megalopolis, of the Peloponnese in Greece, is commemorated by the Church on September 11. She is not to be confused with St. Theodora of Alexandria (d. 491) who is commemorated on the same day. She is reported to have lived in various centuries: third,citation needed seventh,[1] tenth,[2] and eleventh.[3]

Life

According to tradition, Theodora joined the army at a young age to support her family who were poor. Since her family had no heirs, she was forced to disguise herself as a man to be able to participate in the army and earn her wages.

While she was serving, a young girl fell in love with her and told the commander that she was pregnant with Theodora's child. The commander was forced to deal with the scandal and Theodora was forced to either marry the girl or sacrifice herself.

Chapel of St. Theodora in Vasta

The Chapel of St. Theodora is located just outside the village Vasta of Megalopolis in the Peloponnese of Greece. It was built between the 10th and 12th centuries. According to tradition, the construction of the church is intimately linked with the martyrdom of Theodora. Just before being executed, she prayed to God:

Let my body be a church, my hair a forest of trees, and my blood a spring to water them.

This small chapel supports 17 large trees that emerge from the roof and the walls of the chapel. Each tree weighs close to a tonne and stands over 20 metres high. For hundreds of years, the roots have not been visible. Locals could not find a scientific explanation for this phenomenon. Many researchers have spent years studying this structure, even X-raying the walls, but have no explanation for the roots of the trees. In 2003, a geophysical report was presented at the 4th Symposium of Archaeometry in Greece. The results of this investigation proved that the roots followed the gaps existing inside the stone wall of the chapel creating repulsion stresses between the stones and thus reaching the ground.

The entire building is under considerable pressure due to the large load of the trees and it is a miracle that after hundreds of years, the chapel survives with no damage to the structure or to the trees. A spring comes out from underneath the chapel and irrigates the trees.

Reference

  1. ↑ Το θαύμα στη Βάστα (Greek)
  2. ↑ Theodora den hellige fra Vasta - munken, der rettelig var en kvinde (Danish)
  3. ↑ Vasta on Wikipedia

Sources

External link

Retrieved from "https://en.orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Theodora_of_Vasta&oldid=62403"