Theodore Stratelates (Ancient Greek: Ἅγιος Θεόδωρος ὁ Στρατηλάτης, transl.

'the General' or 'Military Commander'; Coptic: ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲑⲉⲟⲇⲱⲣⲟⲥ), also known as Theodore of Heraclea (Ancient Greek: Θεόδωρος Ἡρακλείας; AD 281–319), was a martyr and warrior saint in the Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches.

There is much confusion as to whether he and St. Theodore of Amasea were the same person, as the stories about their lives later diverged into two separate traditions.

[5] According to some of the legends, because of his bravery, Theodore was appointed military-commander (stratelates) in the city of Heraclea Pontica, during the time the emperor Licinius (307–324) began a fierce persecution of Christians.

Theodore invited Licinius to Heraclea, having promised to offer a sacrifice to the pagan gods.

Not wanting to flee a martyr's death, Theodore voluntarily surrendered to Licinius, and was beheaded by the sword.

The earliest text referring to the two saints is the Laudatio of Niketas David of Paphlagonia in the 9th century.

This is because, although the two Theodores were born in close territories and martyred in parallel, their names were involved in the confusion between two pilgrimage sites.

Usually mostly western researchers by mistake interpret the lack of reference to two Theodores in the valley of Irida (or Iris) in Yeşilırmak River (up to the 9th century, which was the date that their names were established) as proof that they both were one and the same person.

What causes western researchers to get confused is at that time (9th century) the pilgrimage site of Euchaita had declined but that of Euchaneia was starting to flourish.

He was born to a soldier in the Roman army named John, an Egyptian from the city of Shateb in Upper Egypt.

Later, an angel appeared to John and assured him in regards to Theodore, saying that he would be the reason for the faith of many people in Christ.

He went to the church of the city and prayed, and then asked for a person named John, and the people told him where he was and that he was suffering from a severe illness.

The prince left the village, travelled to Antioch and met Theodore of Amasea.