Day of Remembrance of St. Roman Sladkopevets (14/10)

The Monk Roman Sladkopevets was born in the Syrian city of Yemes at the end of the 5th century. From a young age he led a pious and chaste life. During the reign of the Byzantine emperor Anastasia (491—518), the saint moved to Constantinople, where he served at the temple in the name of the Mother of God in Kirakh. He spent his life in fasting and prayer, bothering his body with numerous feats and all-night awakeings. Soon Saint Romanus was installed as sexton in the Hagia Sophia.

The reverend had no gift for singing and reading, but led a virtuous life. Seeing Saint Roman's special diligence in church obedience, Patriarch Euthymius (490—504) favored him, which aroused envy among other clergy.

One day, on the evening of the Nativity of Christ, when Emperor Anastasius himself was present in the temple, the clergy forced Saint Roman to read and sing with them. Saint Roman, ridiculed by them, did not leave the temple after the end of the service, but fell in front of the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, cried and prayed for a long time.

At night, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him in a sleepy vision. She handed Saint Roman a scroll and ordered him to be eaten. So the monk received the gift of book understanding, writing and performing church chants. At the all-night vigil on the day of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Monk ascended to the pulpit and sang his first kontakion: «Virgin of the Present Gives Birth to the Present...».

Saint Romanus was soon ordained as a deacon and became a singing teacher.

The Monk Roman composed more than a thousand kondaks for the holidays of the Lord and the Mother of God, many of which the Holy Church still glorifies God.

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