John Byzantios
Archon Protopsaltes of the Great Church of Christ
John Byzantios, was officiated Protopsaltes of the Great Church after the death of Constantine Byzantios, but was previously Acting Protopsaltes due to the age of Constantine (1855).
He was born in Neochorion of Bosphorus, and became a student of Theodore Symeon the Kontos. He entered into the patriarchal church as a Second Domestikos in 1824 under Agathangelos; became a Lambadarios in 1831 under Constantine I from Sinai, when Protopsaltes was Constantine. Finally he became Protopsaltes during the first patriarchy of Joachim II.
We was decorated by an active voice and a most ecclestiacal style. He publish seven times the Anastasimatarion, twice the Heirmologion of the Katavasias of Peter Lambadarios, the cherubic and communion hymns of Peter, one one-volume Anthology, a collection of calophonic heirmoi of various poets, and the four-volume Pandektes together with Stephen the Lambadarios.
He composed some odes to Patriarchs, the calophonic heirmos in grave mode «Κύκλῳ τῆς τραπέζης σου», and a few canons of the feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God. On his death on 20 July 1866, he was succeeded by Stavrakis Gregoriades.