Martyr Theodosia of Constantinople (Istanbul) (d. AD 745)

Theodosia lived as a nun in a Constantinople monastery. In January 729, when emperor Leo III ordered the removal of an icon of Jesus Christ from over the gate to Constantinople’s imperial palace, she left the monastery and gathered a group of Christian women in an attempt to stop the action. During this protest, the officer removing the icon apparently fell off his ladder and died. Theodosia was arrested and killed by having a ram’s horn hammered through her neck. Today, she is considered the first martyr of the anti-icon () movement.