Venerable Romanos the Melodist, deacon of Constantinople and the greatest of Byzantine hymnographers.
Romanos was born in Syria and served as a deacon in Beirut before coming to Constantinople in the reign of Anastasios I, where he was attached to the church of the Theotokos in the Kyros quarter.
Tradition relates that he had no gift for singing until the Theotokos appeared to him in a dream on the eve of Christ's Nativity and gave him a scroll to eat; he then chanted the kontakion 'Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One.' He went on to compose a vast number of kontakia and is honored as the patron of church chanters.
Feast day
On the New Calendar, Romanos the Melodist is commemorated on October 1. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on October 14 of the civil calendar.
Who celebrates a name day
People with these names keep their name day on this feast:
Romanos, Romanus, Roman, Romana
Also commemorated on October 1
Protection of the Theotokos
Great Feast, Σκέπη Θεοτόκου
The Protection of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos (celebrated primarily in Russian and Serbian Orthodox Church).
Ananias the Apostle
Apostle, Ανανίας
Holy Apostle Ananias of the Seventy, first Bishop of Damascus, who baptized the Apostle Paul.
John Koukouzelis
Venerable, Ιωάννης Κουκουζέλης
Venerable John Koukouzelis, the master chanter of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos.
Michael of Zobe and the 36 Monk-Martyrs
Saint, Μιχαήλ ηγούμενος Ζώβης
Holy Monk-Martyr Michael, Abbot of the Zobe monastery near Sebasteia, and the thirty-six fathers martyred with him.
Domninos of Thessalonica
Martyr, Δομνίνος
Holy Martyr Domninos, who suffered at Thessalonica under Maximian.
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