Memorial Day of St. Roman the Sweet Singer

A beautiful voice and the ability to sing is a sacred gift from God, which is awarded only to selected people. Every year on October 14 (October 1, Old Style), the Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of Remembrance of St. Roman the Sweet Singer. He was named the Sweet Singer in honor of the beautiful, melodic voice and poetic talent bestowed by the Mother of God. This holiday coincides with the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God. It is sometimes called Saint Roman's Day. On this day, the name days of Romana, Anania, and Savva are celebrated. Until this day, girls and boys had to decide on matchmaking and marriage. If the girl is not matched by October 14, she will have to wait for her betrothed for another whole year, or maybe more. This day is considered the transition from autumn to winter. On the Day of the Protection of the Mother of God and St. Roman the Sweet Singer, you cannot: • use foul language; • swear; • shout at children; • borrow money; • refuse matchmakers; • do hard work, sewing, knitting, washing, spinning, cleaning. Romanus was a Greek and lived in the 5th century in the Syrian city of Emessa. He first served as a deacon in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Beirut, and then moved to Constantinople (Kira region). He was a kind and gentle man who loved God. Roman led a virtuous lifestyle and spent hours in prayer. He assisted in the services at the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, but had no predisposition for singing. For his love for God and constant prayers, he received recognition from Patriarch Euthymius, who brought him closer to himself, making him a cleric. This attitude did not please some clergy who decided to laugh at Roman. At the general pre-Christmas service, where famous people were present, they dragged him to Avon, forcing him to sing. Having no hearing or voice, he was humiliated and disgraced. When the temple was empty, Roman rushed to the image of the Virgin Mary, asking her for help. He prayed long and passionately, asking her to teach him how to sing. At night, the man had a vision that the Holy Mother of God came down from heaven and gave him a white scroll to eat. In the morning he didn’t even understand whether it was real or whether he had dreamed it all. But Roman felt some kind of transformation in himself. He wrote a song glorifying the Mother of God. The next day he himself asked to sing. His clergy enemies allowed him to do this, expecting another round of laughter. Roman again climbed onto the avon and sang his composition in such a beautiful and melodious voice that everyone was very surprised. Since then he has been nicknamed Roman the Sweet Singer. He not only received the blessing of the Mother of God for a melodious voice, but he himself began to glorify Jesus Christ, God’s apostles and followers in the created chants. So he became a church hymnist, and then a school teacher. He taught children his creativity and divine singing. There are many known chants created by Roman the Sweet Singer, called kondas. The Creator created texts and music. He has thousands of religious prayers and various hymns. Some of them are still performed in services. The akathist to the Annunciation of the Mother of God is especially popular. It is read in churches during Lent (on the fifth Saturday). Listening to the akafest, we too will honor and remember the greatest hymnographer of the Byzantine world. Other kontakia and ikos of the Sweet Singer are also known: in honor of the Nativity of Christ, the Transfiguration of the Lord, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Mother of God near the Cross of the Lord, the Apostle Ananias, the Feast of the Presentation. In his works there are not only messages to God and the saints, he describes the healing of a leper, the events of the earthquakes of 551–554, fire, monastic life, there are unflattering words about doctors and their greed, and other hymns. The Monk Roman the Sweet Singer died in 556. After his death, the church ranked him among the Saints. The grave of Saint Roman the Sweet Singer was laid to rest in the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The hymns of the hymn-writer are performed on religious holidays, as thanksgiving prayers and all-night vigils.