St. Theophanes

J. M. Neale's headnote on S. Theophanes, whom he places third among Greek Church-poets, says he was born in 759, the son of the Governor of the Archipelago. Betrothed in childhood to a lady named Megalis, he persuaded her on their wedding-day to take the monastic life, and he retired to the monastery of Syngriana. Nearly bedridden from his fiftieth year, he was one of the earliest victims of Leo the Armenian over the Icons, was imprisoned for two years and banished to Samothrace, and died there in 818. The dates are Neale's.

Neale says Theophanes is chiefly famous for his History, and that apart from S. Joseph of the Studium he is the most prolific of the Eastern hymnographers, though in his writings hymns begin to be composed to fill gaps in the Office-book rather than from the heart. This file gives Neale's two 1862 versions of his idiomela for Cheese-Sunday (Quinquagesima), one of which is called Adam's Complaint.