Teodor of Vršac

Teodor (Serbian Cyrillic: Теодор; fl. 1594) was the Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Vršac (епископ вршачки), who in 1594 was the leader of the Banat Uprising against Ottoman occupation amidst the Long War (1593-1606). After talks with Sigismund Báthory, Teodor organized the revolt with Sava Ban and voivode Velja Mironić. The revolt saw the liberation of the villages of Banat, with Vršac. The Serb rebels used icon depictions of Saint Sava as war flags, as it would strengthen them in battle. Sinan Pasha of Temeşvar Eyalet captured Teodor and had him flayed and burned alive. The same year, as a response to the uprising, Saint Sava's remains were burnt at the Vračar hill on the order of Sinan Pasha, who fought the rebels. Teodor was proclaimed a saint (as "Свети свештеномученик Теодор, епископ вршачки", Saint Hieromartyr Theodore, Bishop of Vršac) of the Serbian Orthodox Church, canonized on May 29, 1994, with his feast on May 16 (Julian), or May 29 (Gregorian).