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[[Image:Roman the Melodist.jpg|right|frame|Saint Roman the Melodist]]Saint '''Romanos Roman the Melodist'''(also ''Romanos'' and ''Romanus'', from Greek Ρομανὸς), a Greek hymn-writer called "the Pindar of rhythmic poetry," was born at Emesa (Hems) in Syria. His [[feast day]] is [[October 1]] with the feast of the [[Protection of the Mother of God]].

From the scanty notices ==Life==The popular [[Patron saint|patron]] of his life we learn that he resided church singers, St. Roman, was born in Emesa in Constantinople during the reign latter part of the Emperor Anastasius{{reffifth century. Whether or not his Jewish parents converted to Christianity is uncertain; Roman himself was [[baptism|1}}baptized]] as a young boy and developed a great love for the house of God. Having officiated When he came of age he served as a verger, lighting the lamps and preparing the [[censer]]. After moving to Beirut, he was [[deaconordination|ordained]] in to the [[diaconate]] and assigned to the Church of the Resurrection at Beirut. He had a rather mediocre voice, he again moved to Constantinoplebut his pure and simple heart was filled with love for God, where he was attached and to assist at the church services gave him the churches of Blachernae and Cyrusgreatest joy.

According to legend, when he was asleep in During the lastreign of Emperor [[Flavius Anastasius|Anastasius I]] (491-named church518), the young deacon moved to Constantinople. He led an [[Theotokosascetic]] life of [[prayer]] appeared to him and commanded him to eat a scroll. On awaking (it was Christmas Day)[[fasting]], but in his [[humility]] he immediately went before thought of himself as being rather worldly. He had a special love for the church [[Mother of God]], and gave forth his famous would go at night to pray in the Blachernae Church, which housed the precious [[hymnomophorion]] on of the Holy Virgin. The saintly [[NativityPatriarch]]Euthemius loved Roman for his many [[virtues]], and paid him the same wage as those singers and readers who were more educated and more talented. The latter resented this and derided Roman for his evident lack of musical and theological training. Roman himself was painfully aware of these defects; he longed for a melodious voice worthy of leading the faithful in praising God.

Romanos It was the day before the [[Nativity|Feast of Our Lord's Nativity]], and Saint Roman was assigned to lead the singing that evening at the [[All-Night Vigil]]. He was responsible not only for the singing but also for the text of the hymns. After everyone had left, he remained in the Blachernae Church and tearfully entreated the Mother of God to help him. Exhausted, he fell asleep with his sorrow. In answer to his prayer, the Mother of God appeared to him in a dream. She handed him a scroll and said to him gently, "Here, eat this." Roman did so and awoke, overcome with joy and the lingering presence of the heavenly visitor. When it came time that night for him to sing, Saint Roman received the [[patriarch]]'s blessing and, vested in a special garment reserved for the principal singer, he stepped onto the ambo. He began to sing: "Today the Virgin gives birth to Him Who is above all being . . ." The emperor, the patriarch, the [[clergy]] - the entire congregation listened in wonder at the profound theology and the clear, sonorous voice which issued forth. They all joined in the refrain, "A new-born Babe, the pre-eternal God." Later, Saint Roman told the patriarch about his vision, and the singers who had made fun of him prostrated themselves in repentance and humbly asked the Saint's forgiveness. It should be noted that the kontakion as we know it today—a short hymn honoring and describing a particular feast or saint— is only the prologue or proomion of a full kontakion which, at the height of its development in the sixth century, was a poetic sermon composed of from 18 - 30 verses or ikoi, each with a refrain, and united by an acrostic. When it was sung to an original melody, it was called an idiomelon. Originally, Saint Roman's works were known simply as "[[psalms]]," "[[odes]]," or poems. It was only in the ninth century that the term kontakion—from the word kontos, the shaft on which the parchment was rolled—came into use. With the Nativity Kontakion, which has been dated to the year 518, Saint Roman began a period of prolific creativity. Altogether, he wrote as many as one thousand kontakion, celebrating [[Feast day|feasts]] and saints throughout the [[Church Calendar|liturgical year]]. In the words of one scholar, Saint Roman's compositions successfully combined "the solemnity and dignity of the sermon with the delicacy and liveliness of lyric and dramatic poetry." Because Saint Roman is commemorated on the same day as the [[Protection of the Mother of God|feast of Protection]], he commonly appears as a central figure in the [[icon]] of that feast, even though there is no historical connection (the event celebrated by the Protection icon occurred in the tenth century). Although in more recent icons Saint Roman is depicted as a [[deacon]] standing on the [[Ambon|ambo]], Russian church musicologist Johann von Gardner points out that in the oldest icons he is more accurately portrayed wearing the short red tunic of a singer and standing on a raised platform in the middle of the church. Roman is said to have composed more than 8000 similar hymns or [[kontakion|kontakia]] (Gr. κοντάκιον, "scroll") celebrating the feasts of the ecclesiastical year, the lives of the saints, and other sacred subjects. Some of the more famous are:

*the [[martyr]]dom of [[Apostle Stephen the Protomartyr|St Stephen]]  ==Hymns==[[Kontakion]] (Tone 8):You were adorned from childhood with the godly virtues of the Spirit;:you were a precious adornment of the Church of Christ, all-wise Roman,:for you made it lovely with beautiful hymnody.:Therefore, we entreat you, grant your divine gift to those who desire it,:that we may cry out to you: "Rejoice, all-blessed Father, beauty of the Church." [[Troparion]] (Tone 4):You gladdened Christ's Church by your melodies:like an inspired heavenly trumpet.:You were enlightened by the Mother of God:and shone on the world as God's poet.:We lovingly honor you, righteous Roman.

*Retrieved Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "[[wikipedia:Romanos]]." ==External links==*[http://enocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=102826 Venerable Romanus the Melodist, "Sweet-Singer"] - from [[OCA]] web site.wikipedia*[http://goarch.org/wikien/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=225 Romanos the Melodist] - from [[GOARCH]] web site.*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/r/jfl30.htm Icon of St. Romanus the Melodist]*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/r/inp13.htm Icon of St. Romanos at Wikipediathe Hymnographer]