Hieromonk Roman
Russian poet and singer-songwriter (1954–2026)
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Hieromonk Roman (Russian: Иеромонах Роман, secular name Alexander Ivanovich Matyushin,[a] Russian: Александр Иванович Матюшин; 16 November 1954 – 19 May 2026) was a Russian poet, singer-songwriter and hieromonk of the Russian Orthodox Church.[1][2]
Life and career
Roman was born in Ryabchovsk village, Trubchevsky District, Bryansk Oblast, into a family of rural teachers. He graduated from the Philology Department at the University of Elista, then worked as a school teacher. In 1983 he was tonsured monk in the Pskov-Caves Monastery. In 1985, he was ordained. He served in the parishes of the Bryansk Oblast and in Kiev Pechersk Lavra.
He began writing poetry in his youth. He published 19 books of poetry. He joined the Writers Union of Russia. Songs with Roman's lyrics are performed by Jeanne Bichevskaya, Oleg Pogudin, Sergei Bezrukov, Elena Vaenga, Maxim Troshin and others.[3] According to Bezrukov, Roman did not recognize copyright and allowed free reuse of his work.[4]
Notes
- In this name that follows East Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Ivanovich and the family name is Matyushin.