Theodote the Righteous was the mother of Saints Cosmas and Damian, the Holy Unmercenaries. She was a witness to the Orthodox faith even while married to a pagan in Asia Minor sometimes given as Mesopotamia in the saint’s lives. She garnered grace for herself and her two sons by raising them Chrisitan faith after their father died. Having received piety, obedience, and the love of God through her good example (she was often seen praying and reading holy books), they grew up to become famous physicians who healed the sick without asking for a hefty doctor’s bill. They are saints for our times, plagued as they are with HMO mismanagement and lack of health insurance. Their mother Theodote highlights the powerful command motherhood plays to the upbringing of children.