Acolouthie de Sainte Theodora d'Arta Par Job Meles

Theodora Petraliphina, later Saint Theodora, is an essential figure in the history of the Despotate of Epirus in the 13th century. However, the Life of Saint Theodora of Arta and the medieval akolouthia dedicated to her remain little studied, raising numerous questions about their reliability, authorship, and dating. This book fills these gaps by offering a rigorous critical edition of these key texts, based on the unique manuscript preserved in the Marciana Library in Venice. The work begins with an in-depth analysis of the historical and liturgical context, exploring Theodora's biography, the complex editorial history of her texts, the evolution of her cult, and the philological particularities of the akolouthia. This research sheds light not only on the saint and her place in Byzantine spirituality but also on the political and cultural significance of the Despotate of Epirus in the 13th century. With an annotated French translation and detailed studies, this book becomes an indispensable reference for historians, specialists in Byzantine liturgy, and anyone interested in medieval culture, liturgy, and history.