Dorothea of Caesarea

Virgin Martyr Dorothea of Caesarea in Cappadocia, with Christina, Kallista and Theophilos.

St. Dorothea was a devout maiden of Caesarea in Cappadocia who was arrested during the persecution of Diocletian. Two sisters who had lapsed from the faith were sent to sway her, but she brought them back to Christ and they were martyred with her.

Tradition relates that the lawyer Theophilos mocked her, asking her to send him fruit and flowers from paradise; a child brought them to him after her death, and he too confessed Christ and was martyred.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Dorothea of Caesarea is commemorated on February 6. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on February 19 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Dorothea, Dorothy, Dora

Also commemorated on February 6

• 

  Bukolos of Smyrna

  Hierarch, Βουκόλος

  Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of John the Theologian.

  Name days: Voukolos, Voukoulas

• Photios the Great

  Hierarch, Φώτιος ο Μέγας

  St. Photios the Great, Patriarch of Constantinople, Confessor and Pillar of Orthodoxy.

  Name days: Photios, Fotios, Fotis, Photis, Fotini, Photini, Foteini, Fotoula, Fay

• Julian of Emesa

  Martyr, Ιουλιανός ο εν Εμέσῃ

  Holy Martyr Julian the physician of Emesa in Syria.

  Name days: Ioulianos, Julian

• Fausta, Evilasios and Maximos

  Holy Woman, Φαύστα, Ευϊλάσιος και Μάξιμος

  Virgin Martyr Fausta of Cyzicus, with Evilasios and Maximos whom she converted.

  Name days: Fausta, Favsta

• Barsanouphios and John

  Venerable, Βαρσανούφιος και Ιωάννης

  Venerable Barsanouphios the Great and John the Prophet, elders of Gaza.