Saint Romanos the Melodist

Life story

Information about Romanos is sparse and mixed with legend. He was born in the late fifth century in Emesa (now Homs, Syria), traditionally into a Jewish family, and was baptised as a boy. He served as a deacon in Berytus (now Beirut) and later went to Constantinople; according to the Synaxarion this happened under the emperor Anastasius, a claim not independently confirmed.

Legend says that on the vigil of Christmas Romanos read poorly and was mocked. He then saw the Virgin Mary, who gave him a scroll to eat. The next day he stood up and sang his first kontakion, on the Nativity. This is traditional narrative, not an event with a verified source.

Romanos composed kontakia, long rhythmic poems sung in the liturgy, usually retelling a biblical passage dramatically and with a repeating refrain. The Synaxarion says he wrote over a thousand, but only about 89 survive under his name, of which roughly sixty are accepted as genuine by many scholars. The Nativity kontakion is often seen as his masterpiece. Recent scholarship holds that he probably did not write the Akathist Hymn, though some dissent. He died after 555 in Constantinople. His memorial is 1 October.

Works and witness

• Deacon in Berytus, later active in Constantinople
• Composed kontakia, long poem-hymns used in the liturgy
• About 89 works survive under his name; roughly 60 are widely accepted
• His Nativity kontakion is regarded as a masterpiece
• Memorial on 1 October

Patron of

Hymn writers and church musicians (Eastern tradition)

Saints from the same country

Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Saint John of Damascus, Saints Cosmas and Damian, Saint Simeon Stylites

References

• Synaxarion of Constantinople
• Romanos the Melodist, Kontakia (critical editions by Maas and Trypanis, Grosdidier de Matons)
• Martyrologium Romanum

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.