John Chrysostom composes and delivers a homily On *Romanos (deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch, S00120) during a festival held in the martyr’s memory at Antioch (Syria) or Constantinople. Written in Greek, 386/407.
E02538
Literary - Sermons/Homilies
Literary - Hagiographical - Accounts of martyrdom
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom, On Romanos (CPG 4354, BHG 1601)
Summary:
1. The memory of the martyrs is a cause of joy for the church. Their suffering and glory are equally experienced by the whole church, since Christians and martyrs are members of the same body. The greatest thing is love. Love makes us disciples of Christ even without martyrdom. Martyrdom without love has no effect.
2. Romanos is distinguished for the great love he demonstrated in his martyrdom. It is remarkable that the Devil chose to have his tongue cut, rather than any other torment. It was an era of severe persecution, when many were martyred in manifold ways. Romanos publicly declared the faith, encouraging and strengthening martyrs, and causing the repentance of apostates. His activity inspired great courage among the Christians, and reversed their flight. The Devil decided not to subject him to martyrdom, lest it had the opposite effect. He thus had his tongue cut out, in order that the martyr’s followers might be deprived of his voice and teaching.
3. A doctor was appointed to sever the martyr’s tongue. Yet a stronger, spiritual voice was now heard speaking in his mouth. The Devil was clearly afraid of the martyr’s tongue, and this was the proof of the latter’s victory.
4. The martyr’s voice miraculously sounded after his tongue was cut out.
Summary: Efthymios Rizos
Service for the saint
Sermon/homily
MiraclesMiracle at martyrdom and death
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - bishops
Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy
Source
John of Antioch, bishop of Constantinople, who came to be known as Chrysostom (the Golden Mouth), was born in 344/354 in Antioch on the Orontes where he studied under Libanius. He joined the Nicene Christian community of Antioch, led by bishop Meletios of Antioch, and was ordained priest by Meletios’ successor, Flavianos in 386. Acquiring a great reputation as a preacher, John was appointed as bishop of Constantinople in 397. Clashing with the bishop of Alexandria Theophilos and the empress Eudoxia in 403/404, Chrysostom was deposed and banished to Cucusus in Cappadocia and died in Comana of Pontus in 407.The Homily on Romanos survives in 32 Manuscripts, on which see Rambault 2018 and:
http://pinakes.irht.cnrs.fr/notices/oeuvre/8579/
(accessed 09/03/2017)
Discussion
The subject of this homily is clearly *Romanos (S00120), a deacon from Caesarea Maritima, whose martyrdom at Antioch under Diocletian is described by Eusebius of Caesarea in the Martyrs of Palestine (E00298). The text, however, provides no evidence about the venue and date of the homily. Since both Antioch and Constantinople had shrines dedicated to him, it is possible that this homily was given at either of these cities.Bibliography
Text:Migne, J.-P., Patrologia Graeca 50 (Paris: Imprimerie Catholique, 1862), 605-612.
Rambault, N. and Allen P. Jean Chrysostome. Panégyriques de Martyrs I. Sources Chrétiennes 595 (Paris : Editions du Cerf, 2018) (critical edition, French translation, introduction, notes).
Translation:
Mayer, W., St John Chrysostom, The Cult of the Saints: Select Homilies and Letters Introduced, Translated, and Annotated (Popular Patristics Series; New York: St Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2006), 227-237.
Further reading:
Downey, G., Ancient Antioch (Princeton, 1961).
Drobner, H.R., The Fathers of the Church: A Comprehensive Introduction (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), 327-337.
Kelly, J.N.D., Golden Mouth: The Story of John Chrysostom. Ascetic, Preacher, Bishop (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1995).
Efthymios Rizos
09/03/2017
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00120 | Romanos, deacon of Caesarea, martyred at Antioch | Ῥωμανός | Certain |
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