Saint Joseph the Hymnographer

"True obedience manifests itself in executing gladly and without any repugnance, things which are objects of antipathy or contrary to one's interests."
- Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez (1532 - 1617)

Today is the feast day of Saint Joseph the Hymnographer. Joseph was born around 810 in Sicily, Italy, to Christian parents. When he got older, he fled with other Christians during an invasion of Saracens to Thessalonica, where he became a monk. Sometime after this, Joseph sailed to Constantinople. In 841, he sailed for Rome to escape the severe Iconoclast persecutions in Constantinople, but on the way he was captured by pirates and held on the island of Crete for several years as a slave. Finally, Joseph escaped from slavery and went back to Constantinople where he founded a monastery. Due to his ardent defense of the icons, he was sent into exile in the Chersonese. He died around the year 886, and is credited with the composition of about 1,000 canons. 

Saint Joseph the Hymnographer, pray for us!

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Quote From Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez and Information About and Picture Of Saint Joseph Taken From:

http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Alt/alt.religion.christian.roman-catholic/2006-06/msg00204.html

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4092

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2013/04/04/100984-venerable-joseph-the-hymnographer