Eastern Rite - Hieromartyr Dorotheus, Bishop of Tyre, Hieromartyr Cosmas of Armenia, & the Veneration of the Icon of the Mother of God, “Of Ihor,”

Today is the Feasts of the Holy Hieromartyr Dorotheus, Bishop of Tyre, the Holy Hieromartyr Cosmas, Presbyter of Armenia, and the Veneration of the Icon of the Mother of God, “Of Ihor,” so-called because it belonged to Ihor Olhovych, Great Prince of Kyiv.

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The Hieromartyr Dorotheus was bishop of the Phoenician city of Tyre, during the time of the persecution against Christians under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). Heeding the words of the Gospel (Mt.10:23), the saint withdrew from Tyre and hid from the persecutors. He returned to Tyre during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great (306-337, May 21), again occupying the bishop’s throne he guided his flock for more than fifty years, and converted many of the pagans to Christianity. When the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363) began openly to persecute Christians, Saint Dorotheus was already over 100 years old. He withdrew from Tyre to the Myzean city of Udum (present day Bulgarian Varna). Delegates of the emperor arrested him there for his refusal to offer sacrifice to idols. They began to torture the holy Elder, and under torture he surrendered his soul to the Lord (+ ca. 362) at the age of 107.

Some ascribe to Saint Dorotheus the compilation of a work, “The Synopsis”, a collection of sayings, and including lives of the holy prophets and apostles.

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I am unable to find any information on the Holy Hieromartyr Cosmas.

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The holy Passion-Bearer and Great Prince of Kyiv Ihor Olhovych (September 19, 1147), prayed before this icon during the last moments of his life. It was in the chapel of Saint John the Theologian in the Dormition cathedral of the Kyiv Caves Lavra. This icon was of old Greek origin and had an inscription saying that it belonged to Saint Ihor.