Categories: uncategorized
Date: 11 June 2005 03:47:34
St Romanus the Melodist is one of the most well-known hymn-writers of the Orthodox church. Perhaps unexpected for someone who chanted so badly during the service for the Nativity of Christ that he was replaced and ridiculed. Yet God has His time and His plan, and His Wisdom puts all ours to shame. On the day of the Nativity, Mary, the Mother of God, appeared to Romanus in a vision and gave him a scroll to eat: he ate and was given the gift of hymnody, among others.
I came across a few verses of his Kontakion for the Ascension at the wonderful Word from the Desert site, and went looking for the entire Kontakion. I found it on Archimandrite Ephrem's site: Kontakion on the Ascension. I particularly found these verses particularly moving -- such vivid imagery:
10... the first of the angels
Cried to all the Principalities on high,
‘Lift up the gates and fling wide the heavenly
And glorious doors,
For the Master of glory comes.
Clouds, spread out your backs beneath the One who mounts.
Bright air, prepare yourself for the One who journeys through you.
Stand open, heavens. Heaven of heavens, receive him,
Because he is coming to you, he who says to his own,
‘I am not parting from you. I am with you and there is no one against you.'11
Those in the height immediately obeyed,
And opening at once all the heights,
Thrones, Dominations with Principalities and Powers ran to meet him,
And swiftly spreading the cloud as a chariot,
Sent it to the mount of Olives.
It came down and took into its bosom
The One who drives the clouds
And makes them give birth to showers.
Taking him then it carried him, or rather it was carried—
For he who was borne bore the cloud which carried him,
As Mary once. For the Scripture prophetically calls her cloud,
Whom he who dwelt in her guarded, he who said to his friends,
‘I am not parting from you. I am with you and there is no one against you.'