We do not know much about Saint Romanos, but we know that he was born in the city of Homs and became a deacon of the Church of Beirut. Then he moved to the city of Constantinople during the days of Emperor Anastasius I and Patriarch Euphemius (490-496 AD).
كان، منذ نعومة أظفاره، مشتعلاً بحب الله، سالكاً في الفضيلة، أميناً على خدمة والدة الإله، مثابراً على طقوس الكنيسة. رغبته في تمجيد والدة الإله كنت جامحة، لكن مواهبه ومقدرته الصوتية كانت دون طموحاته. وحدث، مرة، خلال سهرانة عيد الميلاد المجيد، في كنيسة بلاشيرن في القسطنطينية، أن ظهرت له ولدة الإله وفي يدها درج ناولته أياه ليأكله. وحالما ذاقه ملأت حلاوة فائقة فمه فصعد على المنبر وراح يرتل بصوت ملائكي النشيد المعروف لوالدة الإله: “اليوم البتول تلد الفائق الجوهر، والأرض تقرب المغارة لمن هو غير مقترب إليه. الملائكة مع الرعاة يمجدون، والمجوس مع الكوكب في الطريق يسيرون، لأنه قد ولد من أجلنا صبي جديد، الإله الذي قبل الدهور”.
Since then, the gift of the Holy Spirit flowed into him and continued until the day of his death. He produced a huge number of songs covering most of the liturgical holidays of the year. Romanos is the creator of the chants known as Qandaq. The Qandaq is a collection of so-called verses, ranging in number from twenty to twenty-four verses, each verse containing a number of troparias. It is said that Saint Romanos produced a thousand of these jellyfish, of which only eighty remain today. Among the chants attributed to him is the Praise of the Mother of God, which the Church used to sing during the period of Great Lent of the year.
It is noteworthy that Saint Romanos was the first to put the letter (T) in Greek before his name, and the letter refers to the word (Tapinos), which means despicable or servile. This same sign was later adopted by the bishops, and it took the form of a small cross.
في صلاة المساء الخاصة بعيده، ترتل له الكنيسة الأنشودة المعبرة التالية: “يا أبانا المكرم رومانوس، لقد صرت مبدأ للخير وعلّة للخلاص، ولما وضعت أناشيدك الملائكية، أثبت، في الحقيقة، قداسة سيرتك. فابتهل إلى المسيح الإله أنى يحفظ مرتليك من النجارب والأخطار”.
Saint Romanos fell asleep in the Lord, in the city of Constantinople (currently in Turkey), as a deacon in the Great Church, in the year 530 AD.
From the sayings of Saint Romanos:
لنفتّشْ في الكتاب المقدّس عمّا يهب من النعمة وعمّا يتضمّن من المعنى، إذ إنّه الدليل الذي يُفضي بالجميع إلى الرجاء الذي لا يَبلى: هذه هي فائدة كلّ الكتاب الموحى به من الله. فلْنخرنّ إذاً عند قدمًي المسيح مخلّصنا ولنصرخْ إليه بورعٍ قائلين: “يا ملك الملوك ومحبّ البشر، امنح المعرفة للجميع، وأرشدنا في سبيل وصاياك لنعرف طريق الملكوت، إذْ هي التي نصبو إلى سلوكها ليكون لنا أيضا الإكليلُ غيرٌ الفاسد.
Hymn to the Virgin by Saint Romanos the Psalmist:
- إن المولود قبل كوكب الصبح من الآب بلا أم, تجسد اليوم على الأرض منك بلا أب. لذلك الكوكب يبشر المجوس بولادتكِ التي لا توصف, وملائكة مع الرعاة يسبحونكِ, أيتها الممتلئة نعمة. إن الكرمة أفرعت عنقوداً بدون فلاحة, وحملته في أحضانها كعلى غصن, وقالت: “أنت ثمرتي, أنت حياتي”. أنا ما عرفت كيف حبلت وكيف وافيتَ مني وبقيتُ عذراء. تركتَ أحشائي كما وجدتَها وحفظتَها سالمة. لذا تفرح الخليقة كلها بي وتهتف: أيتها الممتلئة نعمة.
- O Master, I did not deny your grace when I experienced it. I did not despise the honor that I achieved when I gave birth to you. By your condescension, you turned my poverty into wealth. You humbled yourself and exalted my race. Now, rejoice with me, O earth and heaven, because I hold your Creator in my hand. O inhabitants of the earth, keep sorrows away and see the joy that springs forth from my pure womb, and I heard: O you, full of grace. The creator replied: I was overcome by love, my love for man. I, mother, do not make you sad, but rather I will teach you what I want to accomplish. I will bring reassurance to your soul, Mary. After a while, you will see me as the one you hold in your hands, holding hands together, out of love for humanity. The one you breastfeed will be given bitterness to others, the one you kiss will endure insults and blows, and the one you call life you will see hanging on the cross, and you will cry as if he were dead. You will kiss me when I rise, O full of grace.
- I will willingly bear all this pain. And the cause of these sufferings will be My good purpose, which from ancient times until now I continue to display, as God, to save mankind.
- When Mary heard these words, she sighed deeply and cried. The child shouted at her, saying: Stop the tears, mother, and do not cry for what you do not know. If this matter is not fulfilled, all human beings will perish. Believe me, mother, my death is slumber. When I voluntarily completed three days in the grave, I appeared to you alive to renew the earth and renew the children of the earth. Preach this, mother, preach to everyone.
- Immediately, Mary went out to Adam and Eve, bringing them good news and saying: Relax for a while and listen to him say that he will endure the suffering for you who called me: O full of grace.
Christmas Hymn by Romanos the Psalmist:
- Today the virgin gives birth to the Supreme Substance, and the earth brings the cave closer to the unapproachable. The angels are glorified with the shepherds, and the Magi are walking with the planet. Because for our sake a new child was born, the God who was before the ages.
- Come, let us see that Bethlehem opens again. We have found bliss in secret, so let us reap the fruits of paradise inside the cave. There appeared an unwatered root from which forgiveness branches. There was an undug well from which David longed to drink. There, the Virgin, when she gave birth to a child, immediately quenched the thirst of Adam and David. Therefore, let us hasten to him, to where a new child was born, the God who existed before the ages.
- The mother's father becomes a son willingly. The Savior of children lays a baby in a manger. The mother looked at him and exclaimed: Tell me, my son, how were you planted and how did they grow in me? How can I breastfeed you without having a husband? I see you in swaddling clothes and my virginity has not been broken. You preserved it when you agreed to give birth to a new child. You are the God who is before the ages.
- Save the world, O Savior, because you came for this. Confirm all those who believe in you, because for this you shone for me, for the Magi, and for all of creation. Behold, the Magi, to whom you showed the light of your countenance, prostrate themselves before you, offering beautiful gifts. I seek her help because I will go to Egypt and flee with you for your sake. You are my leader, my child, my creator, my savior, the new child, the God before the ages.