1. The church of Euchaita and Saint Theodore

Theodore, who was from Euchaita, was martyred in Amaseia during the reign of Maximian (309/10-313). The development of the settlement of Euchaita into a famous city during the Early Byzantine period is connected with the transportation of Saint Theodore's relics from the place where he was martyred, which, according to tradition, was achieved by Eusebeia during the first half of the 4^th century. During the period 350-550 Euchaita developed into an important city and the tomb of Saint Theodore became a pilgrimage destination. Peter (Salos) sought refuge there when he was exiled at Pityounda in the 5^th century.¹ Various saints made pilgrimage to Euchaita, such as St Alypios (Kionites) during the reign of Herakleios (610-641), St Lazaros and the monk Georgios (Agioreites), during the 10^th century. A monastery and a church were dedicated to Saint Theodore, during the 5^th c. and in the end of the 6^th c., respectively. The historical testimonies referring to monasteries, benevolent institutions and churches at Euchaita are very few until the 10^th c. During these years, in the second half of the 9^th c., a second St Theodore appeared, the so-called Stratelates, whose cult center was the nearby city of Euchaneia. He could possibly be identified with the previous St Theodore (of Euchaita), whose cult centre was simply transferred; in any case, from this period onwards, St Theodre of Euchaita was also caled Teron. In the 11^th c., however, the inhabitants of Euchaita were not aware of the location of the tomb of St Theodore. According to the metropolitan John Mauropous, this was the result of the dispersal of the saint’s relics around the world.²

2. Ecclesiastic administration-history

Euchaita was a bishopric under the jurisdiction of the metropolis of Amaseia, in the province of Helenopontos, during the reign of Anastasios (491-517), as inferred through an inscription.³ In the 7^th c. it was upgraded into an autocephalus archbishopric and was registered in the 20^th rank amongst 34 archbishoprics belonging to the patriarchate of Constantinople. In the notitia episcopatuum no.7, which dates to the 10^th c., Euhaita is mentioned as a metropolis with no subordinated bishoprics. Initially it held the 51^st rank and later the 50^th in the hierarchy of the 53 metropolis of the patriarchate. In certain manuscript copies of the notitia no.7 the bishoprics of Gazala, Koutsiagros, Siviktos and Variane, located in the Peloponnese, are wrongly recorded as subjects of Euchaita. During the late Byzantine period the see of Euchaita ranked 53^rd amongst 110 metropolis.

According to a dubious evidence, in the early 12^th century the inhabitants of Euchaita were forced to become Muslims by the emir of the Danismendids Melik.⁴ In November 1318, the metropolis of Euchaita was temporarily administered kat epidosin (after service) to the metropolitan of Apros Gabriel.⁵ In January 1327 Euchaita was handed over to the metropolitan of Caesarea;⁶ then, apparently to the metropolitan of Apros once again.⁷ It is possible that the metropolis disappeared during the 14^th century due to the increasing presence of the Turcomans, which was also connected with the successful activity of Muslim missionaries.

3. Prelates of Euchaita

The first known bishop of Euchaita was Mamas, who undertook the see during the reign of Anastasius (491-517).⁸ The metropolitan of Euchaita Philotheos faced problems in the second half of the 10^th c. due to the large number of Paulicians living in the area.⁹ John Mavropous is the most important and well known personality who rose to the metropolitan throne. He was elected in 1047 and he was then nominated protosyngelos (Dean of Clergy). His election at Euchaita might had been the result of the disfavour of the emperor. His relations with his congregation were not always good, probably because of the activity of his enemies in Constantinople. During the second half of the 11^th c. the monastery of Python in Constantinople was a charistikion to the metropolitan of Euchaita. Metropolitans of Euchaita participated in the Sixth Ecumenical Council, in 681 at Constantinople, and the Seventh Ecumenical Council, in 787 at Nicaea.