March 12: Celebration of Saints Symeon, Gregory, and Theophanes

Saint Symeon lived in the 10th c. A.D. and is referred to as the teacher of Venerable Symeon the New Theologian.
Venerable Gregory, known as Dialogus I, Pope of Rome, was born in Rome in A.D. 540. The name “Dialogus” is attributed to him because of the style he used when writing most of his works, which was in dialogue form. After the death of his parents, he distributed their great fortune to charities, while his important education led him to the office of praetor of the city of Rome, by order of Emperor Justinian II. He founded six monasteries in Sicily and turned even his residence in Rome into a monastery, which he dedicated to the Apostle Andrew. He was ordained deacon and representative of the Pope of Rome in Constantinople. When Pope Pelagius II died, and despite his own strong objections, Gregory took over the episcopal throne of Rome, as Pope Gregory I. Throughout his tenure and until the end of his life he tried to defend the episcopal throne as part of the Byzantine Empire, although the later was not in a position to provide effective protection. Gregory I was devoted to the Byzantine Empire through his entire life, a humble and true servant of the Lord. He died after having contracted a disease in A.D. 604.
Theophanes, also called the Confessor, was born around A.D. 760 of devout Christian parents. He married at a very young age, however, both he and his wife decided to follow the monastic life. She became a nun with the name Irene and he became a monk in a monastery in Mytilene. Together with other monks, he was invited to the 7th Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. Upon his return, he founded a large monastery on an islet across from Mytilene. However, Leo the Armenian asked him to advocate with Patriarch Joseph the Iconoclast. His denial led him to exile in Samothrace. He died peacefully around A.D. 815m.

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