Saint Romanus the Melodist, born in the fifth century in the Syrian city of Emesa to Jewish parents, moved to Constantinople where he served as a church sacristan in the temple of Hagia Sophia. Known for his devotion to prayer, he would spend his nights alone in prayer in a field or at the Blachernae church outside the city.
Despite not being a skilled reader or singer, Saint Romanus received a divine gift from the Mother of God on the eve of the Nativity of Christ. After a vision in which she instructed him to eat a scroll, he was granted the ability to compose hymns and understand music. He went on to sing his first Kontakion with a wondrous voice during the all-night Vigil on the Nativity, marking the beginning of his prolific hymnography.
Ordained as a deacon for his zealous service, Saint Romanus became a teacher of song and composed nearly a thousand hymns during his lifetime. His kontakia, inspired by the hymns of Saint Ephraim of Syria, are still used by Christians to praise the Lord.
Saint Romanus passed away around the year 556, leaving a lasting legacy in the form of his hymns and contributions to the liturgical music of the Church.