Saint Theodore, Archbishop of Rostov
Saint Theodore, Archbishop of Rostov (John in the world) was the son of Stephen (the brother of Saint Sergius of Radonezh), who occupied an important post under Prince Andrew of Radonezh. Left as a widower, Stephen became a monk, and along with his twelve-year-old son, he went to the Monastery to Saint Sergius, who foresaw the ascetical life of the child John, and tonsured him with the name Theodore, on the Feast of Saint Theodore the Hair-Shirt Wearer (April 20).
After Theodore reached adulthood, Saint Sergius blessed him to be ordained to the priesthood. Saint Sergius also blessed Saint Theodore built a church in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, and founded a monastery on the banks of the Moskva River, at a place called Simonovo. Soon the Monastery began to attract throngs of people. Saint Theodore built a cell five versts from the Moscow Kremlin, and devoted himself to even greater ascetical labors, and disciples gathered around him.
When Saint Sergius visited him, he blessed the establishment of a Monastery, and Metropolitan Alexei blessed the construction of a church in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos at Novoe Simonovo, the foundations of which were laid in 1379. The old Simonov Monastery remained as a cemetery for monks.
Because of his virtuous life and strict asceticism, Saint Theodore became known in Moscow. Metropolitan Saint Alexei elevated him to the rank of Igoumen, and Great Prince Demetrios of the Don chose him to be his Father Confessor. Saint Theodore journeyed to Constantinople several times on Church matters for Metropolitan Alexei. On his first journey in 1384, Patriarch Néilos made him an Archimandrite, and Simonov Monastery was put directly under the Patriarch, thus becoming stavropegial. In 1387, he was consecrated as Archbishop and occupied the See of Rostov.
As Igoumen, then Archimandrite of Simonov Monastery, Saint Theodore, despite being busy with Church matters, guided those in the monastic life and numbered many great and famous ascetics among his disciples. Saints Cyril (June 9) and Therapon (May 27), the future founders of two famous Monasteries at White Lake, were tonsured at Simonov Monastery. Saint Theodore occupied himself with iconography, adorning Simonov Monastery, and many Moscow churches with icons which he painted himself:
At Rostov, Archbishop Theodore founded the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery.
The Saint went to the Lord on November 28, 1394, and his relics are in Rostov's Dormition cathedral.
Saint Theodore is commemorated on November 28 (his blessed repose); on May 23 (Synaxis of the Rostov and Yaroslavl Saints); and on July 6 (Synaxis of the Radonezh Saints).