Saint Joseph l'Hymnographe
prêtre et moine (✝ 886)
Originaire de Sicile, il s'enfuit avec sa famille en Grèce, dans la Péloponnèse, pour échapper aux invasions arabes. Il avait quinze ans. Il partit alors pour Thessalonique et devint moine au monastère de Latomos. Au temps des persécutions iconoclastes, il fut envoyé à Rome auprès du Pape Grégoire IV pour l'informer de la situation et obtenir l'appui de l'Église d'Occident. Capturé en route par des pirates arabes, il fut condamné au carcan. Il ne cessait de chanter sa foi. Le Seigneur vint à son aide. Libéré il put rejoindre Constantinople. C'est durant cette période, qu'il composa des hymnes et des tropaires. Il composa aussi le "Paraclitique" des huit tons musicaux pour les jours de la semaine, pour compléter les hymnes de saint Jean Damascène pour la Résurrection. Il rédigea également des canons et des stichères en l'honneur des saints afin que soient célébrées de dignes cérémonies en leur honneur. Exilé en Crimée pendant huit ans pour avoir blâmé l'union scandaleuse d'un ministre impérial, il continua son œuvre. De même à son retour quand il fut désigné comme gardien des vases sacrés de l'église de Sainte Sophie de Constantinople.
À Constantinople, en 886, saint Joseph, surnommé l’Hymnographe, prêtre et moine. Quand sévissaient les détracteurs des saintes images, il fut envoyé à Rome pour demander la protection du Siège apostolique, mais, sans pouvoir remplir sa mission, il dut endurer bien des souffrances. Enfin il reçut la garde des vases sacrés de l’église Sainte-Sophie.
Martyrologe romain
St Joseph l'hymnographe (IXème siècle)
Originaire de Sicile, il se fit moine à Thessalonique à 15 ans. Au temps des persécutions iconoclastes, il fut envoyé à Rome auprès du Pape Grégoire IV pour l'informer de la situation et obtenir l'appui de l'Eglise d'Occident. Capturé en route par des pirates arabes, il fut condamné au carcan. Il ne cessait de chanter sa foi. Le Seigneur vint à son aide. Libéré il put rejoindre Constantinople. C'est durant cette période, qu'il composa hymnes et tropaires, qui lui valurent son surnom. Exilé en Crimée pendant huit ans pour avoir blâmé l'union scandaleuse d'un ministre impérial, il continua son oeuvre. De même à son retour quand il fut désigné comme gardien des vases sacrés de l'église de Sainte Sophie de Constantinople.
Joseph L'Hymnographe
816-886
Fêté le 4 avril
1°) Vie.
Joseph naquit vers 816, probablement à Palerme. Lors de la prise de cette ville en 831, il fut obligé de fuir sa patrie avec ses parents pour chercher refuge au Péloponnèse. A quinze ans il se rendit à Thessalonique où il entra au monastère du St Sauveur, tou Latomou, où il travailla comme calligraphe. Il était d'une conduite exemplaire et sa communauté le présenta à l'archevêque de Thessalonique pour l'ordination sacerdotale avant qu'il n'ait atteint l'âge canonique (trente ans à cette époque). Le hiéromoine* attira l'attention de Saint Grégoire le Décapolite, son maître, qui obtint de l'higoumène* de Latomou la permission d'emmener Joseph à Constantinople (vers 840). Joseph y vécut en reclus aux côtés de Grégoire dans l'église Saint-Antipas, un centre iconophile.
En 841, en pleine querelle iconoclaste, Grégoire le Décapolite envoya son disciple Joseph au pape Grégoire IV pour lui exposer la situation de l'Eglise orientale. Au cours du voyage, des pirates arabes l'incarcérèrent dans l'île de Crète. Dans sa prison il convertit un évêque iconoclaste et prépara d'autres détenus à subir chrétiennement la peine capitale. Il fut libéré à la suite d'une intervention merveilleuse de Saint Nicolas, jointe au paiement d'une rançon d'amis. Il revint à Constantinople, après avoir recueilli des reliques de l'apôtre Barthélemy. Malheureusement son maître et ami Grégoire était mort. Peut-être arriva-t-il à temps pour assister au triomphe de l'orthodoxie en mars 843. Il reprit sa vie de reclus à Saint-Antipas en compagnie d'un autre disciple du Décapolite, l'ascète Jean. Après la mort de Jean, il se fixa près du tombeau (ou église) de Saint Jean Chrysostome. Le nombre de ses disciples augmenta. Après avoir fondé un monastère, il construisit une l'église en l'honneur de l'apôtre Barthélemy et de Grégoire le Décapolite. Il y transféra leurs reliques. Il eut encore des déboires avec Photius, patriarche de Constantinople, celui-ci fut condamné au concile œcuménique du même nom. Joseph y avait été envoyé pour escorter les légats pontificaux d'Adrien II. Photius finit par se soumettre et reçut un second patriarcat. Par la suite, Photius tint en haute estime Joseph et le recommanda comme guide spirituel aux membres les plus élevés de son clergé. Sous Photius, il avait été nommé gardien des vases sacrés et du trésor de Sainte Sophie. Sentant sa fin proche, il se rendit chez le patriarche pour lui remettre la liste où étaient inscrites toutes les propriétés de son bercail. Il rendit son âme à Dieu le 3 avril 886.
2. Œuvres
Joseph passe pour avoir composé plus de mille canons, lesquels embrassaient huit à neuf mille odes. Il a célébré par des hymnes et des chants les prouesses et les victoires de nombreux disciples du Verbe. L'incarcération en Crète vit déjà ses premières œuvres. Plusieurs centaines de canons portent le nom de Joseph fixé par l'acrostiche*. On a discerné chez lui une prédilection pour les motifs lumineux. Son enthousiasme se veut communicatif: il porte à l'adoration des mystères du salut. Il éveille la confiance et stimule la ferveur. Au fil de ces litanies tout le vocabulaire de la spiritualité byzantine défile. Jean Diacre, qui vécut au Xme siècle, écrit que tant d'âmes ont été séduites par les sirènes spirituelles que sont les suaves mélodies de Joseph. Que de larmes pénitentes il a fait couler par ses poèmes!...Combien il en a convaincu de dire adieu au monde et aux mondanités pour embrasser la vie monastique! Que de femmes il a engagées dans la vie de virginité, les invitant à garder leur lampe toujours allumée afin d'escorter le Christ époux au premier appel de la voix déchirant le cœur de la nuit! (Jean Diacre, Discours…, 25-27,PG 105,964-965)
Source: R.P. Bénédictins de Paris, Vies des Saints et Bienheureux, Letouzey et Ané, 1941
*hiéromoine: moine prêtre
*higoumène: supérieur de monastère
*acrostiche: pièce de vers composée de telle sorte qu'en lisant dans le sens vertical la première lettre de chaque vers on trouve le nom de l'auteur ou celui du dédicataire
Vénérable Père JOSEPH l'HYMNOGRAPHE (1)
Saint Joseph était originaire de Sicile (816) et il s'adonna dès son plus jeune âge à la méditation des Saintes Ecritures. Lorsque les Arabes s'emparèrent de sa patrie (827) le jeune garçon, âgé de quinze ans, s'enfuit avec sa famille pour le Péloponnèse, et de là pour Thessalonique, où il devint Moine au Monastère du Latomos (3). Soumis corps et âme à son père spirituel, il y menait une vie austère, couchant sur la dure, se nourrissant de pain sec et d'eau, et se contentant des vêtements les plus pauvres. Il passait presque toutes ses nuits à faire d'innombrables prosternations et adressait hymnes et prières au Dieu invisible comme s'Il était visible. Il avait comme obédience la copie de manuscrits et contribua à faire de son Monastère un centre réputé de calligraphie. Après son ordination sacerdotale qu'il reçut, malgré ses réticences, avant l'âge canonique de trente ans (4), il se tendit en avant de tout son être (cf. Phil. 3:3), en vue de rejoindre dès cette vie les choeurs célestes, et faisait l'admiration de tous par ses paroles tout onctueuses du miel de l'Esprit.
Au bout de quelque temps Saint Grégoire le Décapolite (cf. 20 novembre), en visite au Monastère, découvrit avec émerveillement cet homme céleste et se lia avec lui d'amitié spirituelle. Il parvint à convaincre son supérieur de laisser Joseph l'accompagner à Constantinople, où ils s'installèrent dans l'église de Saint-Antipas. S'efforçant de reproduire, comme en un miroir, la conduite de son père spirituel, Joseph vivait là comme au ciel, étranger aux tourments de la cité et disposant chaque jour des ascensions dans son coeur. En ces temps de persécutions violentes contre les défenseurs des Saintes Icônes, la petite église devint un centre de ralliement pour les confesseurs de l'Orthodoxie. Ceux-ci décidèrent alors d'envoyer Joseph en malgré ses réticences, avant l'âge canonique de trente ans (4), il se tendit en avant de tout son être (cf. Phil. 3:3), en vue de rejoindre dès cette vie les choeurs célestes, et faisait l'admiration de tous par ses paroles tout onctueuses du miel de l'Esprit.
Au bout de quelque temps Saint Grégoire le Décapolite (cf. 20 novembre), en visite au Monastère, découvrit avec émerveillement cet homme céleste et se lia avec lui d'amitié spirituelle. Il parvint à convaincre son supérieur de laisser Joseph l'accompagner à Constantinople, où ils s'installèrent dans l'église de Saint-Antipas. S'efforçant de reproduire, comme en un miroir, la conduite de son père spirituel, Joseph vivait là comme au ciel, étranger aux tourments de la cité et disposant chaque jour des ascensions dans son coeur. En ces temps de persécutions violentes contre les défenseurs des Saintes Icônes, la petite église devint un centre de ralliement pour les confesseurs de l'Orthodoxie. Ceux-ci décidèrent alors d'envoyer Joseph en mission auprès de l'Evêque Grégoire IV (827-844) à Rome, afin de l'informer de la situation et d'obtenir l'appui de l'Eglise d'Occident dans la défense de la vraie foi. Celui qui avait appris à obéir sans objection, inclina la tête et, quittant la cité et son père spirituel qu'il ne devait plus revoir, il s'embarqua pour l'Italie sans rien emporter avec lui. En cours de route, il fut capturé par des pirates arabes et jeté en prison en Crète. Soumis à la providence, le Saint profita de cette réclusion pour encourager ses compagnons de captivité à garder la foi, malgré les tortures qui leur étaient infligées par les Sarrasins. Il put ainsi délivrer un grand nombre d'entre eux des rets du diable, corrigea un Evêque qui était prêt d'adhérer à l'hérésie iconoclaste et prépara un pieux laïc à un glorieux martyre.
La nuit de Noël, alors que, les pieds enserrés dans des ceps et la nuque prise dans un carcan, Joseph célébrait par des hymnes la venue en ce monde du Soleil de Justice, Saint Nicolas lui apparut, majestueux et le visage resplendissant, et il lui présenta un parchemin sur lequel était écrit : « Hâte-Toi de venir à notre aide, Seigneur compatissant, et presse-Toi en Ta miséricorde, car tout ce que Tu veux Tu le fais! »(5). Puis il lui annonça qu'à la suite de la mort de l'empereur Théophile, il serait bientôt délivré et qu'il lui faudrait regagner Constantinople pour y confirmer la foi (6).
Sa joie de retrouver la cité de nouveau ornée des Saintes Icônes fut cependant assombrie par la nouvelle du trépas de Saint Grégoire. Il vécut quelque temps dans leur ancienne retraite de Saint-Antipas, avec Jean, disciple de Grégoire. Puis, à la mort de ce dernier (7), Joseph s'installa dans l'église de Saint Jean-Chrysostome. Les nombreux amis et admirateurs de Saint Grégoire se pressaient désormais vers lui, comme son successeur et l'héritier de ses charismes d'enseignement, et l'endroit étant devenu trop exigu, le Saint décida de fonder un Monastère, non loin de là, dans un lieu désert. Il y construisit une église dédiée à Saint Bartholomée, dont il avait ramené une relique de Thessalonique, et à Saint Grégoire le Décapolite. Comme il désirait honorer Saint Bartholomée par des hymnes dignes de lui, Joseph pria et jeûna pendant quarante jours et, la veille de sa fête, il vit apparaître devant lui le Saint Apôtre qui prit l'Evangile déposé sur l'Autel, Le lui posa sur la poitrine et le bénit. Dès lors Saint Joseph, inspiré par le Saint-Esprit, fit jaillir de son coeur, comme d'une source abondante, hymnes et tropaires pour la joie et l'édification de l'Eglise. Il put ainsi compléter l'oeuvre des mélodes qui l'avaient précédé : Il composa le Paraclitique des huit tons musicaux pour les jours de la semaine, en complément du cycle des hymnes de la Résurrection de Saint Jean Damascène (Octoèque), et rédigea en l'honneur d'une grande quantité de Saints, canons et stichères, de manière à achever le cycle des Ménées pour tous les jours de l'année (8). L'Eglise restaurée dans l'orthodoxie pouvait ainsi, grâce à lui, célébrer dignement les fêtes des Saints par des icônes, par des hymnes et par de Saintes cérémonies.
Mais ce triomphe de l'Orthodoxie n'était toutefois pas exempt d'ombre et, peu de temps après, Joseph se rangea aux côtés du Patriarche Saint Ignace (23 oct.) et des Studites qui s'étaient insurgés, avec une Sainte irritation, contre l'union scandaleuse du ministre Bardas avec la femme de son fils. Il fut alors exilé à Cherson, en Crimée (858), où il passa neuf années, sans cesser de rendre grâce à Dieu en tout, et continua son uvre poétique.
Lors de la prise du pouvoir par Basile ler le Macédonien (867). Ignace et ses partisans furent rappelés d'exil, et Joseph reprit la direction de son monastère. Ce n'est que sous la pression de l'empereur et du Patriarche qu'il accepta la charge de gardien des vases sacrés de la Grande Eglise (skevophiylax), l'une des plus hautes dignités
de la hiérarchie ecclésiastique byzantine. Pendant cette période de calme, il put produire la plus grande partie de son oeuvre hymnographique. Après la mort d'Ignace (877) il continua de jouir de toute la confiance de Saint Photios (cf. 6 fév.), qui l'appelait : « Père des Pères, égal aux Anges et homme de Dieu ». Il fit de lui son conseiller pour la direction de l'Eglise et l'institua confesseur des membres du haut clergé. Après avoir orné l'Eglise de ses vertus et honoré les Saints par ses hymnes Saint Joseph, pressentant sa mort prochaine, alla remettre sa démission au Patriarche, puis il se retira dans son Monastère, où il trouva le repos, le 3 avril 886, à l'âge de soixante-dix ans.
Un notable de la cité se rendit ce jour-là dans l'église de Saint Théodore Tiron, afin d'y prier pour retrouver son serviteur égaré. Au bout de trois jours, Saint Théodore lui apparut disant qu'il n'avait pas pu répondre à sa demande, occupé qu'il était d'accueillir au ciel, avec tous les Saints, Joseph l'Hymnographe, qui les avait honorés sur cette terre par tant d'hymnes divinement inspirés.
1) St. Theodore Studite lui avait écrit pour l'encourager à se rétracter, et lui adressa une autre lettre où il le loue de son revirement.
2) Certains Ménées manuscrits, suivis par la tradition slave, lui consacrent la mémoire principale du 4 avril, avec un office liturgique;
3) Cf. 25 mars, note 10.
4) Fixé par le canon 14 du Concile In Trullo.
5) Refrain du kontakion du Dimanche des Ancêtres du Seigneur (l1 décembre).
6) Nous résumons ici la vie du Saint rédigée par son disciple Théophane. Selon une autre biographie, ses liens se relâchèrent alors miraculeusement et il fut transporté sur les airs de Crète à Constantinople.
7) Selon d'autres, Jean alla se retirer à la laure de Saint-Chariton, en Palestine, où il mourut. Cf. 18 av.
8) Il compléta aussi le Triode de SS. Théodore et Joseph Studites et le Pentecostaire, et donna ainsi à l'ensemble des livres liturgiques de l'Eglise Orthodoxe la forme qu'ils gardent jusqu'à présent. Ses canons sont facilement reconnaissables, car les premières lettres des tropaires de la neuvième ode forment l'acrostiche : JOSEPH.
St. Joseph the Hymnographer
The most prolific of the Greek hymn writers. A native of Sicily, he was forced to leave his island in 830 in the wake of an invasion by the Arabs, journeying to Thessalonica and then to Constantinople. He abandoned the Byzantine capital in 841 to escape the severe Iconoclast per secution, but on his way to Rome he was captured by pirates and held for several years in Crete as a slave.
Finally escaping, he returned to Constantinople and founded a monastery. For his ardent defense of the icons, he was sent into exile in the Chersonese. Joseph is credited with the composition of about one thousand canons. He should not be confused with Joseph of Thessalonica, brother of Theodore of Studium.
SOURCE : http://www.ucatholic.com/?p=11870
Joseph the Hymnographer B (AC)
(also known as Joseph of the Studium)
Died c. 845-883. The monk Saint Joseph of the Studium was a prolific hymn-writer. Born of Christian parents in Sicily, he was obliged to flee with other Christians during an invasion by the Saracens, and reaching Thessalonica became a monk. Afterwards he migrated to Constantinople, where he joined the famous monastery of the Studium. Here he found himself a member of a distinguished Christian fellowship, led by Theodore Studites, its abbot, who was one of the outstanding Christians of his day; but when persecution reached the city, Theodore was scourged and imprisoned, and Joseph took ship for Rome.
There followed a period of misfortune and adventure in small sailing ships. A sea voyage in those days was fraught with peril, for methods of navigation were extremely primitive, time and distance were calculated by the position of the sun and stars, and travellers were not only exposed to hazards of wind and weather, but were at the mercy of pirates who waylaid them as they made their slow and cautious progress round the coasts.
As his ship passed through the islands of the Ionian Sea, it was captured by pirates, and all on board were taken to Crete as prisoners and there became slaves. For many years Joseph lived in servitude, but even as a slave he pursued his active ministry and converted many in Crete to the Christian faith.
Finally, regaining his liberty, he resumed his journey to Rome, where he was received with great kindness, and afterwards returned to Constantinople. The rest of his life was lived in retreat and was mainly devoted to the writing of hymns, so that he became known as Joseph the Hymnographer. Among them was one which vividly describes his experiences at sea:
Safe home, safe home in port!
Rent cordage, shattered deck,
Torn sails, provisions short,
And only not a wreck.
When we sing those words we can remember that they came from the heart of a man who had known storm and shipwreck, and that they reflect his own bitter suffering.
In another of his hymns, "O happy band of pilgrims," we also catch echoes of his stormy pilgrimage: of the trials and sorrows which he had known as a slave and an exile, and pointing to the greater agony of "the Cross that Jesus carried."
Even in those last years, however, Joseph was not to be left in peace. There came a day when once again he was called upon the suffer for Christ, this time to die as a martyr. But, before the end, he shared in a great missionary enterprise, for during his time in Constantinople he was among those who inspired the first missionaries to Russia.
I'm not absolutely sure that Joseph the Hymnographer is identical to Joseph of the Studium who is also celebrated on this day. The dates are approximately the same. Joseph the Hymnographer was the bishop of Salonika and the brother of Theodore Studites. Both are cited as great liturgical poets (Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Gill).
Joseph the Hymnographer B (AC)
(also known as Joseph of the Studium)
Died c. 845-883. The monk Saint Joseph of the Studium was a prolific hymn-writer. Born of Christian parents in Sicily, he was obliged to flee with other Christians during an invasion by the Saracens, and reaching Thessalonica became a monk. Afterwards he migrated to Constantinople, where he joined the famous monastery of the Studium. Here he found himself a member of a distinguished Christian fellowship, led by Theodore Studites, its abbot, who was one of the outstanding Christians of his day; but when persecution reached the city, Theodore was scourged and imprisoned, and Joseph took ship for Rome.
There followed a period of misfortune and adventure in small sailing ships. A sea voyage in those days was fraught with peril, for methods of navigation were extremely primitive, time and distance were calculated by the position of the sun and stars, and travellers were not only exposed to hazards of wind and weather, but were at the mercy of pirates who waylaid them as they made their slow and cautious progress round the coasts.
As his ship passed through the islands of the Ionian Sea, it was captured by pirates, and all on board were taken to Crete as prisoners and there became slaves. For many years Joseph lived in servitude, but even as a slave he pursued his active ministry and converted many in Crete to the Christian faith.
Finally, regaining his liberty, he resumed his journey to Rome, where he was received with great kindness, and afterwards returned to Constantinople. The rest of his life was lived in retreat and was mainly devoted to the writing of hymns, so that he became known as Joseph the Hymnographer. Among them was one which vividly describes his experiences at sea:
Safe home, safe home in port!
Rent cordage, shattered deck,
Torn sails, provisions short,
And only not a wreck.
When we sing those words we can remember that they came from the heart of a man who had known storm and shipwreck, and that they reflect his own bitter suffering.
In another of his hymns, "O happy band of pilgrims," we also catch echoes of his stormy pilgrimage: of the trials and sorrows which he had known as a slave and an exile, and pointing to the greater agony of "the Cross that Jesus carried."
Even in those last years, however, Joseph was not to be left in peace. There came a day when once again he was called upon the suffer for Christ, this time to die as a martyr. But, before the end, he shared in a great missionary enterprise, for during his time in Constantinople he was among those who inspired the first missionaries to Russia.
I'm not absolutely sure that Joseph the Hymnographer is identical to Joseph of the Studium who is also celebrated on this day. The dates are approximately the same. Joseph the Hymnographer was the bishop of Salonika and the brother of Theodore Studites. Both are cited as great liturgical poets (Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Gill).
Venerable Joseph the Hymnographer
Commemorated on April 4
Troparion & Kontakion
Saint Joseph the Hymnographer, “the sweet-voiced nightingale of the Church,” was born in Sicily in 816 into a pious Christian family. His parents, Plotinos and Agatha, moved to the Peloponnesos to save themselves from barbarian invasions. When he was fifteen, St Joseph went to Thessalonica and entered the monastery of Latomos. He was distinguished by his piety, his love for work, his meekness, and he gained the good will of all the brethren of the monastery. He was later ordained as a priest.
St Gregory the Dekapolite (November 20) visited the monastery and took notice of the young monk, taking him along to Constantinople, where they settled together near the church of the holy Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus. This was during the reign of the emperor Leo the Armenian (813-820), a time of fierce iconoclast persecution.
Sts Gregory and Joseph fearlessly defended the veneration of holy icons. They preached in the city squares and visited in the homes of the Orthodox, encouraging them against the heretics. The Church of Constantinople was in a was most grievous position. Not only the emperor, but also the patriarch were iconoclast heretics.
At that time the Roman bishops were in communion with the Eastern Church, and Pope Leo III, who was not under the dominion of the Byzantine Emperor, was able to render great help to the Orthodox. The Orthodox monks chose St Joseph as a steadfast and eloquent messenger to the Pope. St Gregory blessed him to journey to Rome and to report on the plight of the Church of Constantinople, the atrocities of the iconoclasts, and the dangers threatening Orthodoxy.
During the journey, St Joseph was captured by Arab brigands who had been bribed by the iconoclasts. They took him to the island of Crete, where they handed him over to the iconoclasts, who locked him up in prison. Bravely enduring all the deprivations, he encouraged the other prisoners. By his prayers, a certain Orthodox bishop who had begun to waver was strengthened in spirit and courageously accepted martyrdom.
St Joseph spent six years in prison. On the night of the Nativity of Christ in 820 he was granted a vision of St Nicholas of Myra, who told him about the death of the iconoclast Leo the Armenian, and the end of the persecution.
St Nicholas gave him a paper scroll and said, “Take this scroll and eat it.” On the scroll was written: “Hasten, O Gracious One, and come to our aid if possible and as You will, for You are the Merciful One.” The monk read the scroll, ate it and said, “How sweet are Thine oracles to my throat” (Ps 118/119:103). St Nicholas bade him to sing these words. After this the fetters fell off the saint, the doors of the prison opened, and he emerged from it. He was transported through the air and set down on a large road near Constantinople, leading into the city.
When he reached Constantinople, St Joseph found that St Gregory the Dekapolite was no longer among the living, leaving behind his disciple John (April 18), who soon died. St Joseph built a church dedicated to St Nicholas and transferred the relics of Sts Gregory and John there. A monastery was founded near the church.
St Joseph received a portion of the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew from a certain virtuous man. He built a church in memory of the holy apostle. He loved and honored St Bartholomew, and he was distressed that there was no Canon glorifying the holy Apostle. He desired to adorn the Feast of St Bartholomew with hymns, but he did not dare to compose them himself.
For forty days St Joseph prayed with tears, preparing for the Feast of the holy apostle. On the eve of the Feast the Apostle Bartholomew appeared to him in the altar. He pressed the holy Gospel to Joseph’s bosom, and blessed him to write church hymns with the words, “May the right hand of the Almighty God bless you, may your tongue pour forth waters of heavenly wisdom, may your heart be a temple of the Holy Spirit, and may your hymnody delight the entire world.” After this miraculous appearance, St Joseph composed a Canon to the Apostle Bartholomew, and from that time he began to compose hymns and Canons in honor of the Mother of God, of the saints, and in honor of St Nicholas, who liberated him from prison.
During the revival of the iconoclast heresy under the emperor Theophilus (829-842), St Joseph suffered a second time from the heretics. He was exiled to Cherson [Chersonessus] for eleven years. The Orthodox veneration of holy icons was restored under the holy empress Theodora (February 11) in 842, and St Joseph was made keeper of sacred vessels at Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Because of his bold denunciation of the brother of the empress, Bardas, for unlawful cohabitation, the saint was again sent into exile and returned only after Bardas died in 867.
Patriarch Photius (February 6) restored him to his former position and appointed him Father-confessor for all the clergy of Constantinople.
Having reached old age, St Joseph fell ill. On Great and Holy Friday, the Lord informed him of his approaching demise in a dream. The saint made an inventory of the church articles in Hagia Sophia, which were under his official care, and he sent it to Patriarch Photius.
For several days he prayed intensely, preparing for death. He prayed for peace for the Church, and the mercy of God for his soul. Having received the Holy Mysteries of Christ, St Joseph blessed all who came to him, and with joy he fell asleep in the Lord (+ 863). The choirs of the angels and the saints, whom St Joseph had glorified in his hymnology, carried his soul to Heaven in triumph.
In 890, his biographer John the deacon of the Great Church wrote about the spirit and power of St Joseph’s Canons: “When he began to write verses, then the hearing was taken with a wondrous pleasantness of sound, and the heart was struck by the power of the thought. Those who strive for a life of perfection find a respite here. Writers, having left off with their other versification, from this one treasure-trove, from the writings of St Joseph, began to scoop out his treasure for their own songs, or better to say, daily they scoop them out.
And finally, all the people carry it over into their own language, so as to enlighten with song the darkness of night, or staving off sleep, to continue with the vigil until sunrise. If anyone were peruse the life of a saint of the Church on any given day, they would see the worthiness of St Joseph’s hymns and acknowledge his glorious life. Actually, since the lives and deeds of almost every saint are adorned with praises, is not he worthy of immortal glory, who has worthily and exquisitely known how to glorify them?
Now let some saints glorify his meekness, and others his wisdom, and others his works, and all together glorify the grace of the Holy Spirit, Who so abundantly and immeasurably has bestown his gifts on him.”
Most of the Canons in the MENAION are St Joseph’s work. His name may be found in the Ninth Ode as an acrostic. He also composed many of the hymns in the PARAKLETIKE.
Venerable St. Joseph the Hymnographer
4/17 April
Venerable Joseph the Hymnographer was born into a pious Christian family in Sicily. His parents Plotinus and Agatha moved to the Peloponesses to save themselves from the barbarian invasion. At the age of 15, St. Joseph went to Thessalonica and entered a monastery. He was distinguished by his piety, industriousness, and humility, and was loved by all of the monastery brethren. Later, the Venerable One was ordained a presbyter.
Venerable St. Gregory the Decapolite (commemorated November 20) visited the monastery and took notice of the young monk. He took him to Constantinople and together with him lived near the Church of the Holy Martyrs Sts. Sergius and Bacchus. This was during the reign of Leo the Armenian (813 - 820) – a time of cruel persecutions at the hands of the iconoclasts. Sts. Gregory and Joseph fearlessly defended the revering of holy icons. They preached in public squares throughout the city, and visited Orthodox homes to strengthen the people’s resolve to stand up against the heretics. The Church of Constantinople was in a very difficult position; not only the Emperor, but also the Patriarch, were iconoclasts.
At the time, the Roman bishops were in union with the Ecumenical Church, and Pope Leo III, who was not subject to the authority of the Byzantine Emperor, was in a position to render considerable assistance to the Orthodox. The Orthodox monastics chose as their emissary to the Pope Venerable Joseph, the most steadfast and oratorically gifted among them. Venerable Gregory blessed him to go to Rome and give an account of the situation of the Church of Constantinople and of the danger threatening Orthodoxy.
On his journey, Venerable Joseph was seized by Arab bandits who had been bribed by the iconoclasts; he was sent off to the island of Crete. There they turned him over to the iconoclasts, who locked him up in a dungeon. Courageously enduring all his deprivations, he also provided support to the other prisoners. By the prayers of the Venerable One, a certain Orthodox bishop who had begun to waver was so bolstered in spirit that he courageously accepted a martyr’s death.
Venerable St. Joseph spent six years in prison. On the night of the Nativity in the year 820, he had a vision of Holy Hierarch St. Nicholas of Myra in Lyceia, who announced to him that the persecutor, Leo the Armenian, had died, and that persecution against the holy icons had come to an end. The Holy Hierarch gave the Venerable One a scroll and said, “Take this scroll and eat it.” On the scroll were the words, “Hasten, O Bountiful One and as Thou art merciful, hasten to come to our aid, for as Thou wilst, Thou canst…” The Venerable One read the words, ate the scroll, and said, ‘How sweet are thy words unto my taste!’ (Psalm 118[KJV 119]: 103). St. Nicholas directed that he sing those words. Thereafter, the fetters that had been holding the Venerable One fell off, and the prison doors opened; he walked unhindered out of the prison, and was caught up into the air and put down near Constantinople, on the great highway leading into the city. Venerable Joseph did not arrive in Constantinople in time to see the late Venerable St. Gregory the Decapolite, but he met with his disciple Blessed John (Commemorated April 18), who reposed soon thereafter. Venerable St. Joseph erected a church dedicated to St. Nicholas, and transferred the relics of Venerable Sts. Gregory and John to that church. A monastery was established next to that church.
A certain benefactor gave Venerable St. Joseph a relic of the Holy Apostle Bartholomew. St. Joseph erected a church dedicated to the Holy Apostle and wanted to solemnly honor his memory, but was distressed at the lack of hymns of praise dedicated to the memory of the Holy Apostle; he did not dare compose such hymns himself. For forty days, he tearfully prayed, preparing himself for the Feast of St. Bartholomew. On the eve of the Feast, the Apostle Bartholomew appeared to St. Joseph in the Altar, placed the Holy Gospels against his chest, and blessed him to write ecclesiastical hymns, saying “May the Right Hand of Almighty God bless thee, may Heavenly Wisdom pour out upon thy tongue, may thy heart be a temple of the Holy Spirit, and may thy hymnody sweeten the universe.” After that marvelous apparition, Venerable Joseph wrote the canon to Holy Apostle Bartholomew, and from then on began to compose liturgical hymns in honor of the Mother of God, the Saints, including Holy Hierarch St. Nicholas, who had liberated him from prison.
During the resurgence of iconoclasm in the reign of Emperor Theophilos (829 - 842), Venerable St. Joseph once again suffered at the hands of the heretics. For 11 years he was exiled to Chersones. In 842, during the reign of Empress Theodora (commemorated on February 11), who restored the Orthodox practice of veneration of Holy Icons, Venerable St. Joseph was appointed keeper of the holy vessels in the Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) in Constantinople. However, in return for his courageously criticizing the empress’ brother Varda for living in an illicit relationship, he was once again exiled, to return only after the death of Varda in 867.
Patriarch Photios (857 - 867, 877 - 886) restored him to his former position and appointed him spiritual director for all of the clergy of Constantinople.
After attaining extremely advanced age, St. Joseph fell ill. In a vision received on Great Friday, just before Pascha itself, his approaching death was revealed to him by the Lord. The Venerable One made, and dispatched to Patriarch Photios, an inventory of the church property belonging to the Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom that had entrusted to him. He spent several days in fervent prayer in preparation for his death. In his prayers, the Venerable One asked for peace for the Church, and for God’s mercy upon his soul. After Communing of the Holy Gifts of Christ, St. Joseph blessed everyone around him, and joyously presented himself up to God (+ 883). The Angels and Saints whom Venerable St. Joseph had glorified in his hymnodies joined him in solemn procession to the World on High.
Voir aussi : Daniel Stiernon. « La vie et l'œuvre de S. Joseph l'Hymnographe. A propos d'une publication récente ». Revue des études byzantines. 1973 Volume 31, Numéro 31, pp. 243-266 : http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rebyz_0766-5598_1973_num_31_1_1468
