Saint Joseph the Hymnographer lived between 816 to 883 and was born in Sicily to a Christian family. His family moved to Greece when Muslims invaded in order to escape persecution. He entered a monastery at the age of 15 and Saint Gregory the Dekapolite took him to Constantinople to defend against the iconoclast heresy there. He was chosen to be a messenger to Pope Leo III to obtain the Pope's assistance to battle the iconoclast heretics. However, he was captured by Muslims while on his way to Rome and was delivered to the iconoclast heretics. He was held a prisoner and Saint Nicholas appeared, asking him to sing in the name of God. He was freed from prison six years later and went back to Constantinople founding a monastery which was dedicated to Saint Gregory. He dedicated a church to Saint Bartholomew, whom he had a devotion to. Saint Bartholomew then appeared in a dream asking him to write hymns. His first hymn was in honour of Saint Bartholomew, he then wrote other hymns dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the Blessed Virgin Mary and other saints, composing almost 1000 hymns. He was exiled for seven ears after he stood against another uprising of iconoclasm. He died in Constantinople.
Reference: Morning Offering
