The Holy Martyrs Theodore and John lived in Kyiv during the tenth century. As Christians, they became victims of the persecutions launched by the pagan population. Theodore, a soldier who had received the Holy Baptism during his service in the Byzantine Empire, courageously defended his faith and refused to offer sacrifices to the idols. Instead, he boldly proclaimed that there is only one true God.
When the pagans surrounded his home, Theodore, together with his son John, armed themselves and stood their ground. Despite their resistance, they were harshly beaten, becoming the first martyrs in the land of Rus' to shed their blood for the Orthodox faith.
They suffered martyrdom on July 12, 978. Their memory is honored by the Russian Orthodox Church.
On the site of their martyrdom, the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos was later built and consecrated on May 12, 996. Saints Theodore and John came to symbolize the spiritual transformation of the people of Rus', marking the passage from paganism to the Orthodox Christian faith.
