Description
South Porch- Left Pillar of Left Portal
West Face-Martyrdoms
4. Theodore is torn by a rake
Theodore (also called Theodore Statelates and Theodore Tyro), was a young Roman soldier stationed at Amasea. He was asked to sacrifice to the pagan gods, but refused to because he was a Christian. The judges gave him tome to reconsider, because of his extreme youth. Theodore reacted by burning down the pagan temple. He was martyred in 306. Among his tortures, his flesh was torn off.
A small man in a short tunic stands at left. He holds an implement with which he scores the flesh of Theodore (right). The saint stands bound to a stake, half naked to his waist. His figure is very much taller than that of the executioner. Theodore's head is probably a restoration.
Kidson groups Theodore and George with the local saints, because “…during the First Crusade they intervened with a celestial army to save a company of soldiers from the Beauce…. “(the area around Chartres). He also pointed out that Theodore’s head relic was at Chartres Cathedral and that his body was venerated at the nearby abbey of Joshaphat (Kidson, Chartres, p. 55).
Subject
Cathédrale de Chartres--Pictorial works.;Church decoration and ornament--France--Chartres--Pictorial works.;Church architecture--France--Chartres--Pictorial works.;Christian art and symbolism--France--Chartres--Medieval, 500-1500--Pictorial works.
