Tuesday, October 1 today, and the Orthodox Church celebrates the Synod of the Most Holy Theotokos of Gorgoepikou and the Solemnity of the Most Holy Theotokos in Blacherno.
According to the calendar, the following are also celebrated:
- Saint Ananias Apostle
- Saint Romanus the Melodious and poet of Kontakion
- Saint John Psalmist Koukouzelis
THE Apostle Ananias he was a disciple of Jesus Christ and bishop of Damascus.
He is traditionally counted among the Seventy Apostles. According to the Acts of the Apostles (9, 10-18), it was he who received God’s order to go to meet the apostle Paul, then Saul, blinded by God, to heal him. Ananias was also the one who, after healing Paul, baptized him.
THE Saint Roman the Melodious He was one of the greatest hymn composers in the Greek language, also called “the Pindar of rhythmic poetry”. It flourished during the 6th century, which is considered the “Golden Age” of Byzantine hymnography. He was born into a Jewish family in Homs or Damascus, Syria. He was baptized as a Christian when he was still a child. (Whether his parents also converted or not is unknown). Having moved to Beirut, he was ordained a deacon in the Church of the Resurrection there. He later moved to Istanbul
Who do we say “Happy Birthday” to?
The following are named after him:
- Ananias, Ninos
- Theresios, Theresia
- Romans, Romana, Romani
