Arsenios the Small, hieromonk (late 16th century – first half of 17th century)
Hieromonk Arsenios of Vatopaidi – nicknamed “the Small” – lived and flourished in the early seventeenth century. His homeland was Andros. The effect of his activity can be seen though one of his students, Panagiotis Chrysaphis the Young, who was Protopsaltis of the Great Church of Christ and one of the most significant musicians of the second half of the seventeenth century. Though the number of compositions by Arsenios is not large, they are original and innovative for his era. One of the first calophonic heirmoi, which contains all of the embellished elements of the new musical style that was cultivated primarily during the second half of the seventeen century, is the heirmos of the seventh ode of the crucifixional canon of Joseph the Hymnographer, “H kaminos Sotir edrosizeto”. Other melodies that made known the name of Arsenios are his famous kratimata, the so-called “ek ton exo”.