Saint Ephrem is a Syriac and a prolific Syriac-language hymnographer and theologian of the 4th century. He is venerated by Christians throughout the world, and especially in the Syriac Orthodox Church, as a saint.
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St. Ephrem was born in Nisibis (Nusaybin/Turkey) Mesopotamia around the year 303/6. He was baptized when he was eighteen. St Ephrem grew up under the leadership of Saint Jacob, the first bishop of Nisibis. Saint Jacob appointed Ephrem as a teach (Syriac Malfono, a title that still carries great respect for Syriac Christians).
He was ordained as a deacon by Saint Jacob, and began to write hymns and biblical commentaries as part of the School of Nisibis, which in later centuries was the centre of learning of the Church of the East.
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Saint Ephrem, in his late fifties, applied himself to ministry in his new church, and continued his work as a teacher, perhaps in the School of Edessa. During this time there were many rival philosophies and religions, each of which proclaimed themselves as the True Church. In this confusion, Saint Ephrem wrote a great number of hymns defending Nicene Orthodoxy, St. Ephrem is known to have writeen many thousands of hymns and poetry.
Saint Ephrem is also credited with establishing women choirs to sing his hymns set to Syriac folk runes in tunes in the forum of Edessa. After a ten-year residency in Edessa. Saint Ephrem died from a plague on June 9th, 373. |
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Saint Ephrem is called “the harp of the Holy Spirit.” Because he was such a great teacher through his writing, he was proclaimed a Doctor of the Universal Church.
One way to praise God at the Eucharist is to join in the singing of the hymns. This is what Saint Ephrem would do if he were next to us at Divine Liturgy today. |
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