St. Ephrem the Syrian

St. Ephrem the Syrian

St. Ephrem is unquestionably the master of the Syriac language and the poet par excellence of the Syrians. He possessed the innate properties of creativeness, poetic versatility and the ability to present many meanings in few words. His style is solid, powerful, fluent and eloquent. In poetry he practiced an entirely new doctrine in which he was seldom rivaled. He distinguished himself by his abundant subject matter, fertile imagination and naturalness. Into these poems he incorporated lofty ideas and noble meanings which would inspire his readers to the highest spheres of piety and submissiveness and worship. St. Ephrem was an example of conscientiousness and religious zeal. His heart was completely dominated by the love of God. And this explains why he was described as "The Prophet of the Syrians," "The Sun of the Syrians," "The Harp of the Holy Spirit," and the "Possessor of Wisdom." Moreover, Christendom accepted his leadership while he was still alive and chanted his songs, praising God through them.

St. Ephraim was born in the early part of the fourth century into a Christian family (contrary to some accounts which maintain that he was born a heathen and was converted to Christianity in the prime of his life). His upbringing ennobled his character. In the prime of youth he deserted the world and accompanied St. Jacob, bishop of Nisibin, who was renowned for his purity and holiness. Besides righteousness Ephraim learned much of what was unique in Syriac literature. He entered a monastic order, was ordained a deacon and taught for thirty-eight years at the school of Nisibin, which was founded by his master. He also worked under his successors, the Bishops Baboy, Walgash and Abraham and composed part of his songs known as the Songs of Nisibin. By the year 359 he had achieved wide fame. In the year 363, he left his country as a result of the Persian invasion and moved to Edessa, settling in its Holy Mountain where he was highly welcomed by its ascetics. He expanded the school of Edessa, which, as a result of his contributions and knowledge, became widely famous. It was at this school that he opened the treasures of his knowledge and commented on the Old and the New Testaments. Furthermore, he wrote many excellent poems and masterpieces of canticles. His poetry had become the model of eloquence. Many studied under him.

He was an abstinent and ascetical person, sober, understanding, serene and original. He was a flaming fire which burned the tare of the misguided heretics, a brilliant master and a faithful soldier, keeping watch on the strongholds of orthodoxy. He died on the 9th of June, 373, at nearly seventy years of age. Over his remains a monastery, known as the Lower Monastery, was built in the neighborhood of Edessa. The church commemorates him on the first Saturday of the Lent.

Of the prose writings of St. Ephrem, the commentary on the Book of Genesis, part of the Book of Exodus and fragments of the rest of the books of the scriptures, interspersed in the collection of the monk Severus (d. 861) have come down to us. In writings also survive an Armenian translation of his commentary on the Diatessaron version of the Gospel, a commentary on the Pauline Epistles (except for a few verses which may be found in the commentary on the Gospel by Yeshu'dad of Merv) and some discourses containing commentaries on chapters of the Holy Bible. We have read selected chapters from a book of his called The Book of Opinions, two discourses against the heretics Hypatius and Domnus, two treatises on the love of the Most High and supplications and a letter to the monks who dwelt in the mountains. He also wrote stories of the apostles. Of these, the story of St. Peter the Apostle has survived and has been published.

However, the most outstanding of St. Ephrem's writings are his memre (metrical homilies composed in the seven-syllabic meter which is attributed to him) as well as his madroshos (metrical songs). All of these memre and madroshos deal with religious subjects such as the divinity of the Lord Christ, His humanity, teachings, His church, apostles, martyrs, commentaries on the Holy Bible, prayer, fasting, charity and worship. Some of these madroshos pertain to monks, the Resurrection, prayers for the dead, on the scarcity of rain and other subjects. He also composed songs describing virginity, the sacraments of the church and the Nativity of the Lord. The most beautiful of these is an alphabetical song which impresses its charm on hearts and its lofty theological truths on minds. He also composed songs on Epiphany, Easter, the Resurrection, the call of the apostles, the attributes of the catholic (universal) church, the Virgin and other saints. He also eulogized some of his contemporary bishops and ascetics such as Abraham Qaydunoyo and Julian Sobo. He wrote on repentance, a refutation of Bar Daysan, the heretics and Julian the Apostate.

Sources: 

• Patriarch Ignatius Aphram I Barsoum (2003), The Scattered Pearls, A History of Syriac Literature and Sciences, Translated and Edited by Matti Moosa, New Jersey