A composer whose music stands the test of time

By Tony Staley

	St. Romanus the Melodist When: died c. 490-c. 556 Where: Constantinople What: Composer of Byzantine hymns Feast: Oct. 1

In popular music, we think of composers such as Irving Berlin and Scott Joplin as writing music that will withstand the test of time. So far, that's only been about a century.

In religious music, the tradition is far older and some have lasted 15 centuries and more.

Among the most ancient of Christian hymns are those written by St. Romanus (or Romanos) the Melodist, a 6th century Byzantine Greek priest. He is believed to have written 1,000 hymns for the liturgy, of which only 80 survive.

Romanus was born at Emesa, Syria, to Jewish parents. He was baptized as a boy and soon had the task of lighting the candles and censer, before becoming a deacon at the Church of the Resurrection in Beirut, Lebanon. During the reign of Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I (491-518), Romanus became a priest at Constantinople.

Although he had only a mediocre voice and little musical or theological training, Patriarch Euthemius admired him for his humility and other virtues.

Then, one Christmas Day (in the Western Church, it's the feast we celebrate as the Epiphany), while in the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos (a Greek title for the Blessed Virgin Mary meaning God-bearer) Romanus received the gift of sacred poetry.

An account in the Menaion (the 12 books - one for each month - containing the offices for Byzantine rite immovable feasts) says, "After a religious retreat at Blachernae, he returned to his church, and one night in his sleep saw a vision of the Most Holy Theotokos, who gave him a volume of paper, saying, 'Take the paper and eat it.'"

In his dream, Romanus opened his mouth and swallowed the paper. He immediately woke up and began giving glory to God. He then climbed up to the ambo and in a clear, beautiful voice began singing: "Today the Virgin gives birth to him who is above all being ..."

Much of this hymn, known as the first kontakion (the staff around which a scroll is wrapped), is a dialogue between Mary and the Magi. It is still sung in Byzantine churches for Christmas.

Romanus' hymns are known for their imagery, metaphors and similes, and dramatizations. One scholar said they successfully combined "the solemnity and dignity of the sermon with the delicacy and liveliness of lyric and dramatic poetry."

Karl Krumbacher (1856-1909), the German scholar who began the modern study of Byzantine culture, said of Romanus: "In poetic talent, fire of inspiration, depth of feeling, and elevation of language, he far surpasses all the other melodies. The literary history of the future will perhaps acclaim Romanus as the greatest ecclesiastical poet of all ages."

Romanus' surviving hymns are said to be far superior to those of his contemporaries - in an era known as the Golden Age of Byzantine hymn composing - for inspiration, diction and poetic quality.