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This was during the time of iconoclastic [[heresy]] in the Orthodox Church in Constantinople where both the patriarch and the emperor, Leo the Armenian, were iconoclasts. Saint Joseph was chosen by the Orthodox monks of Constantinople as a messenger to Pope Leo III, who was still in unity with the Eastern Church, to obtain his assistance. During this trip, Joseph was captured by Arab bandits, who delivered him to the [[iconoclasm|iconoclasts]] for imprisonment. While in prison he inspired others to stand strong against the [[heretic]]s. It was also during his imprisonment that Saint [[Nicholas of Myra]] appeared to him in a vision and asked him to sing in the name of God. After six years of captivity Saint Joseph was freed from prison.
After being freed he returned to Constantinople where he founded a monastery dedicated to Saint [[Gregory the Decapolite|Gregory Dekapolite]], who was no longer living by this time. He also dedicated a [[church]] in the name of [[Apostle Bartholomew]], whom he honored greatly. While in strict fasting before the Feast of the Apostle Bartholomew, the [[apostle]] appeared to him in a dream and encouraged him to write hymns for the church. After writing his first hymn in honor of Apostle Bartholomew, Saint Joseph dedicated other hymns to Saint Nicholas, who freed him from prison, the [[Theotokos]], and other saints. He is credited with composing about 1,000 hymns.
When the heresy of iconoclasm returned, he again stood steadfast against the movement and was sent to exile in Cherson for eleven years. Upon his return in 842, during the reign of Empress Theodora, he was appointed keeper of the Sacred Vessels at the Cathedral of the [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Holy Wisdom]]. But, again he was exiled after denouncing Bardas, brother of the empress, for illicit cohabitation. Joseph returned again to Constantinople in 867 after Bardas' death.
==External links==
*[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.aspsaints_view?contentid=5 Joseph the Hymnographer] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100984 Venerable Joseph the Hymnographer] ([[OCA]])
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Hymnographers]]
[[Category:9th-century saints]]
[[ro:Iosif Imnograful]]
