Alexandru Prelipcean: The Kontakion Εἰς ἕκαστόν σεισμὸν καὶ ἐμπρησμόν of Romanos the Melodist or about the Theological interpretation of the History

It is known the reality that for some patristic scholars or historians, Romanos the Melodist is a Byzantine hymnographer by the ʻsecond-handʼ. Such an opinion we believe that it’s incorrect, and as a source to combat this point of view I have took the kontakion Εἰς ἕκαστόν σεισμὸν καὶ ἐμπρησμόν (On Earthquakes and fires), edited by Romanos the Melodist after the year of 532. Not having any work based on homiletics, or any other historical source, which would be could plagiarize or who would be inspired, Romanos manages to draw theological truths starting from a historical event, contemporary to him, namely, Nika riots. By inserting of the three main themes (God’s providence, description of the disaster and encomium on the Church of St. Sophia), Romanos creates a story with theological nuances. Which is itself this theological interpretation of history? How can this kontakion become a counter argument on the accusation that Romanos it’s an author ʻby the second-handʼ? On these two questions this present study tries to focus.