As a youth in 5^th century Syria, Romanos always tried to please God.  He became a monk and was made the caretaker (or sexton) of his church in Constantinople.  He fasted and often stood in prayer all  through the night.  He was made a chanter, but the other chanters were not happy about that because he had a terrible voice.  One Christmas Eve service, in the presence of the emperor, he was told by the other chanters to chant.  They knew he wasn't very good and wanted to embarrass him.  After the service, he went to his small room and wept and prayed in front of the icon of the Theotokos.  The Theotokos appeared to him in a dream and told him to eat a small scroll that she held.  When he did, he understood the gift he had been given.  He went to the church for the all-night vigil and with the sweetest voice, he sang a kontakion (a short hymn) that he had mentally composed - with a powerful message about the birth of Christ.  Our choir still sings his kontakion at Christmas.  When asked by the others what had happened that he should now have such a beautiful voice, he confessed his vision to the Patriarch.  The other chanters fell at his feet and asked forgiveness for treating him so poorly, and he became a revered teacher of chanters.  He was also ordained as a deacon.  Saint Romanos composed many hymns in his lifetime, and is the patron Saint of choirs everywhere.