Saint Ephrem the Syrian

The lecture presents the biography of Saint Mar Ephrem the Syrian with emphasis on his poetry, his asceticism, and his charitable and theological activity.

Main points

• Mar Ephrem the Syrian was a poet, ascetic, and hero of the faith, composing about 150 hymns in the meter of the Psalms to respond to faith problems.

• He was called by the Syrians “the prophet”, “the teacher” and “the harp of the Holy Spirit” because of his very gentle words, his simple and deep style, and the delicacy of his poetic tone.

• He lived a life of severe fasting and struggle so that saints likened him to angels without a body, and he wept much in prayer so that tears for him were like breathing.

• He was distinguished by mercy and charitable work: he went down to serve the poor during a famine and established a hospital for the sick.

• He was endowed with deep humility and refused ordination as a priest or bishop and remained a deacon despite many people’s esteem for him and requests to ordain him.

• He was raised in Nisibis under the care and teaching of قداسة البابا شنوده الثالث (as the teacher mentioned in the source) and was taught by the city’s bishop, then moved to monastic life on Mount Rah where he lived a life of solitude and asceticism.

• He repeatedly engaged in refuting heresies, especially Arianism, Manichaeism, and local heresies, and he wrote hymns and psalms in response to opponents’ ideas.

• He traveled to various places, taught in markets and streets, established a large theological school and attracted many by his teaching and humble spirit, and there are signs and miracles associated with him in places including a tree bearing his name in the Syrians’ monastery in Egypt.

• He adopted a gentle evangelistic method that blends spirituality with mercy and humility, and his fame was due not to ecclesiastical rank but to his personality and deep writings.

For better translation support, please contact the center.