In the year 1233 at the wish of his father he was obliged to enter into marriage with Theodoulia, the daughter of the holy Prince Michael of Chernigov. When the guests had already gathered at the wedding feast, the bridegroom suddenly died. After the unexpected death of her groom, the princess left the world and was tonsured in one of the Suzdal monasteries, famed in her monastic efforts as Saint Euphrosyne of Suzdal (September 25).
Saint Theodore was buried in the Yuriev monastery in Novgorod. In the year 1614 the Swedes, having pillaged the monastery, broke open the tomb of the prince and finding him whole and incorrupt, they mocked the holy relics, and finally abandoned the body in the churchyard. Years later, Metropolitan Isidore of Novgorod transferred the relics to Novgorod’s cathedral of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia), placing them in the chapel of the holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John. There they remained until 1919, when they were removed by the Bolsheviks.
The service to Saint Theodore was compiled in the year 1787 by Metropolitan Gabriel of Petersburg and Novgorod (+ 1801).
