Symeon the Metaphrast

Russian icon with Saint Symeon Metaphrastes

Symeon the Metaphrast (also referred to as Simon or Symeon the Logothete, in classicizing usage Symeon Metaphrastes) was the author of the 10 volume medieval Greek menologion, or collection of saint's lives. He lived in the second half of the 10th century. About his life we know only very few details.^[1]

The Eastern Orthodox Church honours him as a saint, with his feast day falling on November 9. A service composed in his honour is found in the Menaion. Also numerous prayers which have been attributed to him are found in various Orthodox liturgical books.

Life and works

Metaphrastes was the most renowned of the Byzantine hagiographers. Scholars have been very much divided as to the period in which he lived, dates ranging from the 9th century to the 14th having been suggested; but it is now generally agreed that he flourished in the second half of the 10th century.

Still greater divergences of opinion have existed as to the lives of saints coming from his pen, and here again the solution of the problem has been attained by studying the composition of the great Greek menologies. The Menalogion of Metaphrastes is a collection of lives of saints for the twelve months of the year, easily recognizable among analogous collections, and consisting of about 150 distinct pieces, some of which are taken from older collections, while others have been added later.^[2]

Among other works attributed (though with some uncertainty) to Symeon are a Chronicle, a canonical collection, some letters and poems, and other writings of less importance. Symeon's great popularity is due more particularly to his Menologion.

References

↑ James Carleton Paget (12 August 2010). Jews, Christians and Jewish Christians in Antiquity. Mohr Siebeck. pp. 212–. ISBN 978-3-16-150312-2. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
↑ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Symeon Metaphrastes". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "^{article name needed}". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Authorities

Leo Allatius, De Symeonum scriptis diatriba (Paris, 1664)
F. Hirsch, Byzantinische Studien, pp. 303–355 (Leipzig, 1876)
Albert Ehrhard, Die Legendensammlung des Symeon Metaphrastes (Rome, 1897)
Römische Quartalschrift (1897), pp. 67205 and 531-553
Hippolyte Delehaye, "La vie de saint Paul le Jeune et la chronologie de Metaphraste (1893)
Analecta Bollandiana, xvi. 312-327 and xvii. 448-452.
C. Høgel: Symeon Metaphrastes. Rewriting and Canonization (Copenhagen 2002)

External links

Greek Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Graeca with analytical indexes

Byzantine historians

5th century	Malchus Panodorus of Alexandria Priscus

6th century	Agathias Evagrius Scholasticus Hesychius of Miletus John of Ephesus John of Epiphania Jordanes John Malalas Liberatus of Carthage Marcellinus Comes Menander Protector Peter the Patrician Procopius Theodorus Lector Theophanes of Byzantium Zacharias Rhetor Zosimus

7th century	Trajan the Patrician Theophylact Simocatta John of Antioch

8th century	Hippolytus of Thebes

9th century	Theophanes the Confessor George Syncellus Nikephoros I of Constantinople George Hamartolos

10th century	Constantine VII Joseph Genesius John Kaminiates Leo the Deacon Symeon the Metaphrast Theophanes Continuatus

11th century	Michael Attaleiates George Kedrenos Michael Psellos John Skylitzes John Xiphilinus Yahya of Antioch

12th century	Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger Niketas Choniates Eustathius of Thessalonica Michael Glycas Anna Komnene John Kinnamos Constantine Manasses John Zonaras

13th century	George Akropolites

14th century	Nicephorus Gregoras Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos George Pachymeres Michael Panaretos

15th century	John Anagnostes John Cananus Laonikos Chalkokondyles Michael Critobulus Doukas George Sphrantzes

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 273004808 LCCN: n87923966 ISNI: 0000 0001 0814 1703 GND: 118961055 SUDOC: 079822436 BNF: cb121967585 (data)

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