Theodoros 15 (Theodore the Stoudite) was a native of Constantinople, he was the son of Photeinos 21 and Theoktiste 3: Vita B Theod. Stud. 236B-237A (ὁ μὲν πατὴρ ... φωτεινὸς τοῖς τρόποις καὶ τῇ κλήσει γεγένηται), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤4, p. 259 (πατέρες δὲ Φωτεινὸς καὶ Θεοκτίστη). He was born under the reign of the emperor Constantine V (Konstantinos 7): Vita B Theod. Stud. 236B, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤5, p. 260. The date was c. 759; cf. Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤7, p. 261 (he was in his twenty-first year when Eirene 1 became empress). At his death in 826 he was aged sixty-six; see below. His family was well-born and distinguished: Vita B Theod. Stud. 236C (Γονεῖς δὲ αὐτῷ εὐσεβεῖς τε καὶ εὐπατρίδαι), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤4, p. 259 (his parents were both τὸ γένος ἐπίσημοι), ¤10, p. 262 (he was τὸν εὐγενῆ καὶ τῶν εὖ γεγονότων). They were wealthy and owned much property, including a house (οἶκος) and slaves in Constantinople; Theodoros 15 himself owned property in Bithynia; cf. Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤8, p. 262 (οὐσίαν καὶ χρήματα καὶ ὕπαρξιν ἄλλην, πολυτάλαντον οὖσαν, ἔτι μὴν καὶ οἶκον αὐτὸν τὸν Κώνστα καλούμενον ... πρὸς δὲ καὶ οἰκέτας), ¤9, p. 262 (Theodoros's property in Bithynia; see below). Nephew of Platon 1 (his mother's brother): Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤7, p. 261 (Πλάτων ὁ ὁσιώτατος καὶ πρὸς μητρὸς θεῖος τῷ Θεοδώρῳ), ¤8, pp. 261-262 (τὸν νῦν εὐφημούενον Θεόδωρον, ἐξ ἀδελφῆς ὄντα ἀνεψιόν), Vita Nic. Stud. 904B.

Brother of Ioseph 3: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤12, p. 264 (ὁ θαυμάσιος Ἰωσὴφ, ὁ καὶ τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὴν προαίρεσιν ἀδελφός), ¤59, p. 292 (τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφὸν Ἰωσὴφ), Theoph. AM 6301, AM 6304, Zon. XV 17. 8, Vita Nic. Stud. 877A, 904B. Brother also of Euthymios 14: Theod. Stud., Ep. 6. He had two brothers (Ioseph 3 and Euthymios 14) and a sister (Anonyma 74): Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤8, p. 262 (σὺν ἅμα δυσὶ τοῦ Θεοδώρου ἀδελφοῖς καὶ μικρᾷ ἀδελφῇ) (see also Anonyma 74). He was also related to Theodote 1 (second wife of the emperor Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8); see below): Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤19, p. 268 (διὰ τὸ ἀφ' αἵματος εἶναι τῷ πατρὶ τὴν συναφθεῖσαν αὐτῷ). She was his cousin (ἐξαδέλφη) (Theodote 1's mother, Anna 13 was sister of Theoktiste 3, mother of Theodoros 15): Vita B Theod. Stud. 253B (ἐξαδέλφη ἐτύγχανε τοῦ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν Θεοδώρου ἡ συστεφανωθεῖσα τῷ Κωνσταντίνῳ).

Theodoros 15 received his initial education from his parents, and received baptism when he was aged seven; he studied grammar, rhetoric and philosophy, and distinguished himself as a student, earning respect and admiration, but he was also keen to pursue a religious life and spent much time in attendance at religious worship: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤6, pp. 260-261 (τῆς θύραθεν ἥψατο καὶ δὴ ὀξύτητι φύσεως καὶ ἐπιμελείᾳ συντόνῳ γραμματικήν, ἣ γλῶσσαν ἐξελληνίζει, τάχιστα ἐκπαιδεύεται, εἴθ' οὕτως καὶ ῥητορικὴν μετελθὼν καὶ ταύτης τὸ μὲν χρήσιμον προσλαβών, τὸ δὲ περιττὸν καὶ ἀνόνητον διαπτύσας, ἔτι καὶ φιλοσοφίας εἴχετο), cf. Vita B Theod. Stud. 237A-D (Ἐπεὶ δὲ προβὰς καθ' ἡλικίαν καὶ γραμματικῆς ἔμπειρος ἐγεγόνει τέχνης, εἶτα καὶ διαλεκτικῆς, ἣν δὴ φιλοσοφίαν καλεῖν οἱ ταῦτα δεινοὶ γινώσκουσιν).

He and his family were persuaded by Platon 1, then in Constantinople in connection with the Council of 787, to abandon the world and follow a monastic life; with his mother (Theoktiste 3), his brothers (Ioseph 3 and Euthymios 14), his sister (Anonyma 74) and three other relatives he sold the family property, including the oikos in Constantinople, and gave the proceeds to the poor; they emancipated all of their slaves and gave them endowments (λεγάτα); they then all left Constantinople to follow Platon 1 and assumed the life of monks: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤8, p. 261-262.

Theodoros 15 founded a monastery on a property which he owned, called Boskytion, near Katabolos, which lay next to Sakkoudion (in Bithynia): Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤9, p. 262. He submitted to the guidance of his uncle Platon 1, receiving the tonsure and donning the dress of a monk (Vita B - τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου σχήματος ἀναλαβὼν παντευχίαν, Vita C - κείρεται τὰς τρίχας, καὶ τὸ τοῦ μοναχοῦ σχῆμα ἐνδύεται); as a monk he deliberately undertook all the humblest and most menial of tasks and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the monastic life: Vita B Theod. Stud. 241C-244A, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤10, pp. 262-263.

He was entrusted by Platon 1 with the construction of a Church to St John the Evangelist at Sakkoudion; aided by charitable donations he built a splendid church, and afterwards spent many hours in worship there: Vita B Theod. Stud. 244A-C, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤11, pp. 263-264. His example is said to have been an inspiration to his brother Ioseph 3 and to many of his fellow monks: Vita B Theod. Stud. 244C-245A, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤12, p. 264. He read widely in the Old and New Testaments and in the Lives and writings of the Fathers of the Church, but he was especially interested in the works of St Basil, particularly in his monastic Rules; he was concerned by how far current monastic practise deviated from the Rules laid down by St Basil and approached Platon 1 about correcting this state of affairs: Vita B Theod. Stud. 245A-248A, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤13, pp. 264-265. On Platon 1's instructions he took charge of restoring the situation and in particular enforced the rule of poverty by forbidding the ownership of property by monks: Vita B Theod. Stud. 245D-248A (πάντων μὲν τῶν θεοφόρων Πατέρων μετῄει τοὺς βίους καὶ τοὺς λόγους...διαφερόντως δὲ ἐραστὴς καὶ μιμητὴς λέγεται γεγονέναι τοῦ οὐρανοφάντορος Βασιλείου: τούτου γὰρ ταῖς ἀσκητικαῖς νομοθεσίαις, καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις μάλιστα τῶν θεοσόφων βίβλων ἐμφιλοσοφῶν δογματοθεσίαις...), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤14, p. 265 (Ὁ οὖν πατὴρ ἡμῶν Θεόδωρος πᾶσαν μὲν βίβλον παλαιάν τε καὶ νέαν ἀνεγίνωσκε καὶ πάντων τῶν πατέρων τούς τε βίους καὶ λόγους διηρεύνα ..., μάλιστα δὲ τοῖς τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου λόγους ἐδίδου ὅλον αὐτόν, ἀποδεχόμενος μὲν καὶ θαυμάζων καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς βίβλους αὐτοῦ ἠθικάς τε καὶ δογματικὰς..., πλέον δὲ τὴν τῶν ἀσκητικῶν, ᾗ καὶ νομοθεσίαι μοναστῶν ... ἀπηκριβώθησαν).

He was considered worthy of the priesthood by Platon 1 and was persuaded by him to accept ordination; they went to Constantinople, where the ceremony was performed by the patriarch Tarasios 1 (χειροτονεῖ τοῦτον εὐθὺς καὶ τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ τελειοῖ); they then returned to the monastery, where Theodoros 15 resumed his labours; he devoted himself to work and worship and allegedly spent only one hour each night asleep: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤15, pp. 265-266, cf. Vita B Theod. Stud. 248A- C (he was rapidly raised through the orders, from subdeacon to priest - ἐπιτίθησι τῷ Θεοδώρῷ τὴν χεῖρα, καὶ τελεσιουργεῖ ἐπ' αὐτῷ τὴν τῆς ἱερωσύνης τελείωσιν, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐλάττονος τῶν ὑποδιακόνων ἀρξάμενος καὶ μέχρι τῆς τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου τάξεως ἐληλυθώς). Platon 1, now growing old and infirm, tried in vain to persuade him to become head of the monastery: Vita B Theod. Stud. 248D, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤15, p. 266.

However Platon 1 fell ill and, feeling that death was near, summoned the monks together and sounded out their opinions about his successor; Theodoros 15 was their unanimous choice, and he then agreed to accept the appointment (τὴν ἐπιστασίαν καταδέχεται); he had then been a monk for thirteen years and was aged thirty-five: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤16, p. 266, cf. Vita B Theod. Stud. 248D-249B (ἔρχεται εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀδελφῶν προστασίαν). These figures give contradictory dates; if he was born in 759 he became hegoumenos in 794, but if he became a monk in 787, it was in 800.

Theodoros 15 and Platon 1 were hegoumenoi together for several years, first of the monastery of Sakkoudion in Bithynia, and then of the monastery of Stoudios in Constantinople. Theodoros 15 devoted himself to the physical and the spiritual well-being of his monks, delivering three sermons to them each week: Vita B Theod. Stud. 249C-252B, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤¤17-18, pp. 266-267. When the emperor Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) divorced his first wife (Maria 2) and married his mistress (Theodote 1), Theodoros 15 refused to sanction the marriage, condemning the precedent which it set, and he withdrew from communion with the emperor; he resisted all inducements to change his mind, even though the emperor's new wife (Theodote 1) was a relation of his (Vita C - διὰ τὸ αἵματος εἶναι τῷ πατρὶ τὴν συναφθεῖσαν αὐτῷ, sc. to Konstantinos 8; the mothers of Theodote 1 and Theodoros 15 -- Anna 13 and Theoktiste 3 respectively -- were sisters); finally he and other hegoumenoi refused to visit the emperor and pay him honour during a visit to Prousa; the emperor lost his temper, had them flogged and then exiled Theodoros 15 and others to Thessalonike; there they were imprisoned and kept apart from one another: Vita B Theod. Stud. 252D-256A (Theodoros 15 was imprisoned in the monastery of Sergios), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤19, p. 268. The lead which Theodoros 15 gave was widely followed: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤20, p. 269. While in prison in Thessalonike, he continued to speak and write against the emperor's action; he remained there until the death of Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) (in 797): Vita B Theod. Stud. 256B-C, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤21, p. 269. After the blinding and overthrow of Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) and the seizure of power by Eirene 1, Theodoros 15 was released from exile and recalled by the empress; she brought Theodoros 15 and Tarasios 1 together: Vita B Theod. Stud. 256C-257B, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤22, pp. 269-270, cf. Vita B Theod. Stud. 268D-269A (mentions his return from Thessalonike and the judgment of Tarasios 1 that he had acted correctly). Theodoros 15 then returned to his monastery and reunited there the monks who had been scattered abroad; his fame and that of the monastery grew, and attracted new recruits, including visitors from Constantinople itself, who were drawn by his teaching and example: Vita B Theod. Stud. 257B-D, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤23, p. 270. Because of the dangers arising from Arab raids at this time, the monks decided to move to Constantinople itself; they asked to be given the monastery of Stoudios, which was large enough to contain their numbers, and they occupied it with the approval of the empress (Eirene 1) and the patriarch (Tarasios 1); there Theodoros 15 continued to teach, advise and exhort, and turned the monastery into an example for others: Vita B Theod. Stud. 257D-260C, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤24, pp. 270-271. The monastery attracted so many that the numbers grew to over a thousand, and Theodoros 15 had to reorganise the administration to ensure that they all had proper supervision: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤25, p. 271-272, cf. Vita B Theod. Stud. 260C-261B (he organised the monastery). Probably about this time he composed verses in which he defined the functions of the various monastic offices: Vita B Theod. Stud. 261B (ἐκανόνισε μέντοι καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς πεπιστευμένοις τὰς διαφόρας διακονίας ἀνὰ μέρος, διὰ στίχων ἐκ μέτρων ἰαμβικῶν), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤26, p. 272 (Ἐξέθετο μέντοι καὶ παραινέσεις ἐγγράφους τοῖς τὰς ἐπιλοίπους τῶν διακονιῶν ἔχουσι, διὰ στίχων ἰάμβων τοῦτο πεποιηκώς), see Speck, Jamben, pp. 114-174. He practised calligraphy during the little spare time he had, and books written by him still survived in the monastery after his death: Vita B Theod. Stud 261C-264A (ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσὶ γράφων δέλτους), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤27, p. 273 (τὰς χεῖρας τοῖς δέλτοις ἐδίδου καλλιγραφῶν). In 803 he was the head of the monastery of Stoudios at Constantinople, when the ten-year old Nikolaos 26 (Nicolas the Stoudite) was sent there; he sent Nikolaos to a neighbouring school: Vita Nic. Stud. 869B-C. Named among the influential monks in the Stoudite monastery in the early ninth century: Vita Nic. Stud. 877A. In 806 he and Platon 1 were hegoumenoi of the monastery of Stoudios in Constantinople (Πλάτων δὲ καὶ Θεόδωρος, ἡγούμενοι τῆς μονῆς τῶν Στουδίου); they objected to the selection of Nikephoros 2 as patriarch of Constantinople on the grounds that it was wrong for a layman to be raised so quickly to the position of bishop; they were prepared to divide the church on the issue (σχίσμα μελετήσαντες) and the emperor was narrowly persuaded not to send them both into exile: Theoph. AM 6298, Zon. XV 14. 15-16 (Θεοδώρου τοῦ γεγονότος ἡγουμένου τῆς τοῦ Στουδίου μονῆς).

Hegoumenos of the monastery of Stoudios (ὁ ἡγούμενος τῶν Στουδίου); he, with his brother Ioseph 3 (Ἰωσήφ, ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ) and Platon 1 and the other monks of the Stoudite monastery refused to communicate with the patriarch Nikephoros 2 because of Ioseph 2 who had "crowned" (στεφανώσαντα; i.e. "married") Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) and Theodote 1 against the law (παρανόμως); the emperor Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) called a council of bishops and hegoumenoi and they were expelled from the monastery and exiled from the city; the date was January 809: Theoph. AM 6301, cf. Vita B Theod. Stud. 265B-268B, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤29, pp. 274-275 (he and other monks opposed the emperor Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) for reinstating Ioseph 2 to the priesthood), Vita Nicetae Medicii 43 (an opponent of the emperor Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) in the Moechian affair). He was exiled with Ioseph 3 and Platon 1 to islands near Constantinople for opposing the emperor Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) over this issue: Vita B Theod. Stud. 269B-D, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤30, p. 275-276. Theodoros 15 criticised both Constantine VI (Konstantinos 8) and Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) for adulterous marriages and he foretold the death of Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) in Bulgaria, acts which the later emperor Michael II (Michael 10) cited against him (see below): Vita Nic. Stud. 892B-893A. He foretold the death of Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) on his campaign against the Bulgars: Vita B Theod. Stud. 272BC, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤31, p. 276. Hegoumenos of the monastery of Stoudios (τὸν ἡγούμενον τῶν Στουδίου); when Michael I (Michael 7) became emperor (October 811) Theodoros 15 was still held in custody, with Platon 1, Ioseph 3 (Ἰωσήφ, ἀρχιεπίσκοπον Θεσσαλονίκης, ἀδελφὸν Θεοδώρου) and the leaders of the Stoudite monastery; under Michael 7's policy of reconciliation they were reunited with the church: Theoph. AM 6304, cf. Zon. XV 17. 8 (he and Platon were τους τῆς μονῆς τοῦ Στουδίου ἡγεμονεύσαντας; freed from prison and reconciled with the Church by Michael 7), Vita B Theod. Stud. 272D-273A (τοὺς περὶ τὸν μέγαν Θεόδωρον), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤32, p. 277 (recalled from exile and restored to his monastery by Michael 7 with his fellow monks). He was now reconciled with the patriarch Nikephoros 2, whose support for the action of the emperor Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) had caused a breach with Theodoros 15: Vita B Theod. Stud. 273A-276A, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤32, p. 277.

Hegoumenos of the monastery of Stoudios (Θεωδώρῳ, τῷ ἡγουμένῳ τῶν Στουδίου); he was one of the advisers consulted by the emperor Michael I (Michael 7) on 1 November 812, on the subject of peace with the Bulgars; Theodoros 15 was among those who opposed peace (they were described in Theophanes as false advisers - τῶν παρασυμβούλων - and evil advisers - κακοὶ σύμβουλοι), on the grounds that it was wrong to return refugees, as the proposed peace terms required: Theoph. AM 6305, Zon. XV 17. 21-22. In early 815, under the emperor Leo V (Leo 15), Theodoros 15 was still hegoumenos of the Stoudite monastery and was a leading supporter of image worship; when the emperor challenged the patriarch Nikephoros 2 and other iconophiles to defend their position before the senate, Theodoros 15 spoke out boldly and advised the emperor not to meddle with ecclesiastical matters; he was thereupon sent into exile, at the same time as Nikephoros 2: Vita Nicetae Medicii 35-36 (ὁ τῶν Στουδίου ἡγουμένος), Vita Nicetae Medicii (BHG 1341) (one of the opponents of Leo V (Leo 15) on the issue of iconoclasm), Vita Euthymii Sard. (BHG 2146) 16, 5-23 (p. 78) (he was one of the clergy who opposed the iconoclast policies of Leo V), Vita Nic. Stud. 881A-C (accompanied by Nikolaos 26), Georg. Mon. Cont. 767-768 (Θεόδωρος ὁ ζηλωτὴς καὶ θερμὸς τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας πρόμαχος, ὁ τῶν Στουδίου ἡγούμενος), Leo Gramm. 209. When the emperor summoned the patriarch, bishops and monks to him to debate the question of icons, Theodoros 15 spoke out against the emperor and criticised him for meddling in ecclesiastical matters; when the patriarch and others were exiled, on 20 March, Theodoros 15 returned at first to the monastery of Stoudios; however on Palm Sunday (25 March), he staged a demonstration in favour of icons at the monastery and continued, in spite of threats, openly to resist the emperor and to encourage the opposition; eventually he was ordered into exile; before leaving he instructed all the monks in the monastery to abandon it after his departure; he then was taken away to the fort of Metopa near Apollonias: Vita B Theod. Stud. 280B-288B, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤¤35-43, pp. 279-284. He continued his campaign against iconoclasm by writing numerous letters; to silence him he was ordered by the emperor to be taken further away, to Bonita in the Anatolikon theme, by Niketas 67, who was sympathetic to him; Niketas 67 reported back to Leo 15 that Theodoros 15 refused to be silenced, and was then sent back to give him a flogging; this was administered by Niketas 67 but in such a way as not to hurt Theodoros 15: Vita B Theod. Stud. 288B-289B, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤44, pp. 284-285. Theodoros 15 continued to write to monks and clergy in exile encouraging them to resist: Vita B Theod. Stud. 289B-C, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤45, p. 285. He suffered real beatings afterwards through Anastasios 60 Martinakios after he was reported to have influenced Anonymus 573 to adopt his views and break off communion with his bishop; he was also imprisoned in close confinement together with his disciple Nikolaos 26: Vita B Theod. Stud. 289D-293A, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤¤46-47, pp. 285-287. They suffered greatly from summer heat and winter cold, and were in danger of starving to death from the inadequate food available to them but were saved by a high official in the area (Anonymus 580) who ordered them to be properly fed and cared for: Vita B Theod. Stud. 293C-296A, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤49, pp. 287-288. According to the Life of Nikolaos 26, under Leo V (Leo 15) Theodoros 15 and Nikolaos 26 were first sent to Metopa, near lake Apollonias (in Bithynia) and then after a year to Bonita in the Anatolic theme: Vita Nic. Stud. 884A.

There they remained for three years (884C) during which they suffered cruel beatings and punishments because of a letter written by Theodoros 15 which criticised the emperor and fell into his hands (cf. Anonymus 273 and Anonymus 274): Vita Nic. Stud. 884B-888C. According to the Lives ot Theodoros, they spent three years in prison; then a letter (ἐπιστολὴ κατηχητικὴ) fell into the emperor's hands; the emperor ordered Krateros 2 to punish Theodoros 15, who acknowledged the letter and received severe beatings together with Nikolaos 26; the date was 23 February: Vita B Theod. Stud. 296A-C, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤¤50-51, pp. 288-289. Following this Theodoros 15 lay seriously ill and was slowly nursed back to health by Nikolaos 26, through Lent until nearly the end of Pentecost, when they were transferred to Smyrna, and made to walk all the way: Vita B Theod. Stud. 296D-300A, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤¤52-53, pp. 289-290. In Smyrna they were put under the charge of the iconoclast bishop (Anonymus 581) and confined in a secure house; there Theodoros 15 suffered another beating from Anastasios 60 Martinakios: Vita B Theod. Stud. 300A-B, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤54, p. 290. Transferred to a prison at Smyrna, they remained there for twenty months: Vita Nic. Stud. 888C-889A, cf. Vita B Theod. Stud. 301C, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤57, p. 291. While at Smyrna Theodoros 15 was approached by Diogenes 4 on behalf of the strategos Bardas 30, who was very ill; he prayed for him and sent him an icon of the Theotokos, and he recovered, but later lapsed and fell ill again and died, as Theodoros 15 foretold: Vita B Theod. Stud. 300C-301B, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤¤55-56, pp. 290-291.

When in exile in the East under Nikephoros I (wrong) Theodoros 15 wrote to the patriarch of Jerusalem (Thomas 60) seeking help against the iconoclast Leo 15: Vita Mich. Sync. 7. The letter was Theod. Stud., Ep. 276 (a. 818).

Following the murder of Leo V (Leo 15) and the accession of Michael II (Michael 10), Theodoros 15 was among the exiles who were released: Vita B Theod. Stud. 304B (ὁ περιβόητος τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας κήρυξ Θεόδωρος), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤59, p. 292. He had (allegedly) spent twelve years in exile: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤59, p. 292. This period presumably refers to the time since the exile under the emperor Nikephoros I (Nikephoros 8) (in 809; see above) and ignores the reign of Michael I (Michael 7) when Theodoros 15 was back in Constantinople. From Smyrna Theodoros 15 set off for Prousa (see below); en route he was warmly received at a place called the Metata of Lakkos by the monks called Xerolophoi and by their neighbour, the hypatos Leo 259; from there he went on to Pteleai where he remained for some days and gathered there a number of his scattered disciples; his brother Ioseph 3 also went there to meet him: Vita B Theod. Stud. 304B-305A (τοῦ ἰδίου ἀδελφοῦ), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤59, p. 292 (τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφὸν Ἰωσὴφ). From Pteleai he went with his disciples to Prousa, where he was visited by the monks of Mt Olympus; he then proceeded to Chalcedon and met Theoktistos 2 (to whom he had earlier given the tonsure) before visiting the patriarch Nikephoros 2, still living in his monastery, where they gave thanks for the end of the persecution; after this Theodoros 15 went to a place called Ta Kriskentiou on the Bay of Nikomedeia, where many monks and others came to see him: Vita B Theod. Stud. 316A-C, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤70, p. 298. According to the Life of Nikolaos 26, after the accession of Michael II (Michael 10) restrictions were lifted and Theodoros 15 and Nikolaos 26 left Smyrna and, proceeding on foot, reached Prousa and then Chalcedon, where they met and spent some time with the exiled patriarch of Constantinople, Nikephoros 2: Vita Nic. Stud. 889C-892A.

Among the monks who visited Theodoros 15 at Ta Kriskentiou was Petros 34 (Peter of Atroa); Theodoros 15 received an appeal from Petros 34, whose miraculous cures had aroused charges that they were the work of the devil; Theodoros 15 examined Petros 34 closely and concluded that he was a genuinely good man but criticised his way of life for being too ascetic; he gave him food, shoes and a cloak and wrote a letter to the bishops who had made the charges commending Petros 34 to them; Theodoros 15 was at the time living with other exiles on the estate of Kreskentios near Nikomedeia (πρὸς τὸν ἐν ἁγίοις ὁμολογητὴν Θεόδωρον ἡγούμενον τῶν Στουδίου εἰς ἐξορίαν ὄντα σὺν λοιποῖς πατράσι πρὸς τὰ Κρησκεντίου καθήμενον): Vita Petr. Atr. 37-38, pp. 145-149, cf. Vita B Theod. Stud. 316C-317A, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤71, p. 299 (Petros 34 is called by the nickname "Aboukes"). The date was in 821, before the revolt of Thomas 7 (Thomas the Slav); cf. above, and see Vita Petr. Atr. Retractata, ed. Laurent, p. 43, n. 1. For the location of the estate of Kreskentios, see Laurent, La Vie merveilleuse, p. 144, n. 4. Later Petros 34 visited Theodoros 15 again, apparently seeking advice on the reorganisation of his monasteries: Vita Petr. Atr. Retractata 59 (p. 117). For the date, possibly 823/824, see Vita Petr. Atr. Retractata, ed. Laurent, p. 43, n. 1.

With the patriarch Nikephoros 2, Theodoros 15 obtained an audience with the emperor Michael II (Michael 10), whom they tried in vain to persuade of the correctness of icon veneration: Vita B Theod. Stud. 317A-D, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤72, p. 299 (he gave them freedom to venerate icons, but not in Constantinople), Vita Nic. Stud. 892A-893A. They then left Constantinople and returned to Ta Kriskentiou to resume the monastic life: Vita B Theod. Stud. 317D, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤72, pp. 299-300.

At some date after Michael II (Michael 10) became emperor Theodoros 15 was one of a large group of bishops and hegoumenoi who assembled at a metochion belonging to the monastery of the Agauroi (near Prousa), where was a church of St Elias; while there, they were visited by Ioannikios 2: Sabas, Vita Ioannicii 28, Petrus, Vita Ioannicii 36. The date was probably 821, when Theodoros 15 was staying at Prousa nearby; cf. above. Shortly afterwards the revolt of Thomas 7 (Thomas the Slav) took place, and Theodoros 15 with others had to withdraw to Constantinople; after the defeat of Thomas 7, the emperor ordered them to leave again, and Theodoros 15 now went to the headland near Akritas called the headland of Tryphon, from where he frequently visited the patriarch Nikephoros 2: Vita B Theod. Stud. 317D-320C, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤73, p. 300. On one visit he was given the seat of honour by the patriarch when the latter was entertaining a group of distinguished bishops: Vita B Theod. Stud. 320B-321A, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤74, p. 300.

According to the version of these events in the Life of Nikolaos 26, after their meeting with the emperor, Theodoros 15 and Nikolaos 26 left to live in Prousa, until the revolt of Thomas 7 (Thomas the Slav), when against their wishes they were ordered back to Constantinople by the emperor; however they soon left there to live on Cape Akritas, on the peninsular of St Tryphon, where Theodoros 15 remained until his death; he died on 11 November; his body was taken to the nearby island of Prinkipos for burial: Vita Nic. Stud. 900A-B. In his later years he continued to teach and advise, by word of mouth and by letter, and had many visitors who came to learn from him or just to see him: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤75, p. 301. He was aged sixty-six when he fell gravely ill and was forced to take to his bed, at the beginning of November; scarcely able to speak he delivered a sermon to his monks through a spokesman, and then was well enough to rise and take communion; he returned to his bed, but was able once more, on 6 November, to rise and take communion; during the following night his illness worsened and he lay there for two days, before giving his last farewells to the monks; he lay for two more days, and after receiving communion for the last time on Sunday, 11 November, he died: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤¤76-79, pp. 301-304. He was then buried on the island of Prinkipos: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤79, p. 304.

His successor as hegoumenos of the Stoudite monastery was Naukratios 1: Vita S. Evaristi 12 (p. 306), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤77, p. 302 (Ναυκράτιος ἦν οὗτος, ὁ καὶ μετ' αὐτὸν προστατεύσας τῆς ἀδελφότητος). Under the patriarch Methodios 1, and with the support of the empress Theodora 2, his remains were transferred from Prinkipos to the Stoudite monastery and there buried next to the remains of his uncle Platon 1 and his brother Ioseph 3: Vita Nic. Stud. 904A-B (on 26 January), Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤81, p. 304 (eighteen years after his death, and after the final end of the persecution). He was interred in the Chapel of the Martyrs to the east of the Shrine of the Prodromos: Vita Nic. Stud. 921C-D.

Hegoumenos of the Stoudite monastery; he is included among those acclaimed for their support of icons in the Synodikon of Orthodoxy: Gouillard, "Synodikon", p. 53, line 127.

Author of a description of his mother (Theoktiste 3) in his sermons (the Catecheseis): Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤4, p. 259 (ἧς δὴ καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ τοὺς πόνους ὁ ἐξ αὐτῆς φὺς ὅσιος ἐν ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ ὑπεδίδαξε Καταχήσεσι). He wrote four books of Catecheseis, the first consisting of one hundred and thirty four (the Catechesis Parva), the other three containing longer sermons and known collectively as the Catechesis Magna: Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤27, p. 273 (βίβλους ἑτέρας ... πρώτην μὲν τὴν τῶν Καταχήσεων, τεσσάρων οὖσαν λόγων καὶ τριάκοντα πρὸς τοῖς ἑκατόν, ... δευτέραν τε καὶ τρίτην καὶ τετάρτην τὴν τῶν Μεγάλων λεγομένην Κατηχήσεων). He also wrote a book of Laudationes (πανηγυρικὴ), a book of iambic verses (Vita B - ἑτερ́αν ἔμμετρον ἰδιαζόντως ἰαμβικὴν χρησιμωτάτην; Vita C - ἡ διὰ στίχων ἰάμβων συντεθεῖσα βίβλος) on biblical and theological subjects, five books of letters (Vita C - αἱ δὲ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν αὐτοῦ βίβλοι πέντε - still surviving in the monastery after his death), and a prose work (Vita B - διὰ πεζῆς λέξεως; Vita C - δογματικὴ βίβλος) attacking the views of the iconoclast emperors Constantine and Leo: Vita B Theod. Stud. 264A-265B, Vita C Theod. Stud. ¤28, pp. 273-274. He composed a funeral oration on his mother Theoktiste 3: Theod. Stud., Laudatio Matris (BHG 2422) cap. 6, p. 889C; 7, p. 892B; 9, p. 893D-896A; 10, p. 896B; 12, p. 900B.

See further references in Theod. Stud., Laud. Plat. (BHG 1553), esp. cap. 21, 824B; 23, 825C; 25, 828B; 31, 833B; 32, 833D-836A; 35, 837C; 43, 845C-848B; Synax. Eccl. Const. 214, 216.

See also on his writings Beck, Kirche 491-495; Volksliteratur 61-67; ODB II 2044ff. See further Thomas Pratsch, Theodoros Studites (759-826) - zwischen Dogma und Pragma (Berliner Byzantinische Studien 4) (1998).

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