St. Ephrem the Syrian (Mor Aphrem Suryoyo) (c. 306-373)

St. Ephrem the Syrian (Mor Aphrem Suryoyo) (c. 306-373)

The commemoration of the dukhrono of St. Ephrem the Syrian +373 and St.Theodore the martyr of Amasea +306 according to the liturgical calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Malankara. Annually on the first Saturday of the Great Lent.Mor Aphrem Suryoyo was a poet, teacher, orator & defender of the faith. He was born in A.D. 306 in Nisibis, modern day Turkey (North-west of Mosul, Iraq). He was ordained deacon in A.D. 338 and served the Bishop of Nisibis, Mor Yac'ub, who participated in the Synod of Nicaea. He lived as a solitary & never entered into Priesthood remaining a deacon till death. Ephrem wrote exclusively in Syriac, the Edessene dialect of Aramaic, but his works were translated into Armenian & Greek, & via the latter into Latin and Slavonic. Much of Ephrem's exegetical, dogmatic & ascetic works are in verse form. Tradition tells us that Ephrem heard the heretical ideas put into song first & in order to counteract them made up his own hymns. He wrote several polemical works refuting the heresies of Marcion, Bardaisan, Mani, the Arians & the Anomoeans. He wrote widely regarded Biblical commentaries on Genesis and the Diatesseron. His writings extensively employ typology & symbolism. St. Ephrem the Syrian, left us in Syriac hundreds of hymns & poems on the faith that inflamed & inspired the whole Church. His memory is revered by all, Syriac Orthodox, and Nestorians/Chaldean. He is known as the "sun of the Syrians," ( Shemsho d’Suryoye) & the "harp of the Holy Spirit" (Kenoro d’Ruho). His liturgical poetry had a great influence on Greek hymnography as well. The Roman Catholic Church has declared him 'Doctor of the Holy Church' St.Ephrem departed to his heavenly abode on 9th of June, A.D. 373. Mor Aphrem Suryoyo is commemorated every Sunday in the Thubden d-Qadishe (5th Thubden/Dypthic) of the Syriac Orthodox Church Holy Qurbono. Oh Mor Aphrem Suryoyo & Mor Tewodoros Sohdo! Plead for us before God's throne of grace. Amen. What a blessed coincidence that the current sitting hierarchs of the The Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch share these names: His Holiness Pope Tawadros II is the 118th Pope of Alexandria & Patriarch of All Africa on the Holy Apostolic See of Saint Mark the Evangelist of the Coptic Orthodox Church of AlexandriaHis Holiness the Supreme Pontiff Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and the Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church is the 123rd Patriarch on the Holy Apostolic See of St. Peter the chief of the Holy Apostles. Syriac Prayers for the Feast of Mor Aphrem: https://tinyurl.com/yuexnbkpFull biography: https://goo.gl/UdL5oFVideo biography in Syriac/Aramaic: https://youtu.be/ha-alKjPeqATestament of Mor Aphrem, Syriac Hymn "Eno Afrem Moyethno" https://youtu.be/aeqURwDo3K0Hymn in English: https://youtu.be/jA8RTTaKyxgSyriac hymns of Mor Aphrem from the Beth Gazo: https://youtu.be/5ZUFCvMdaogBovooso of Mor Aphrem in Malayalam: https://youtu.be/VnRrylT4qSEയുൽഫോനോ ദ് അപ്രേം പഠന പരമ്പര (courtesy Hymonutho): https://bit.ly/3nl1aqDHuthomo: https://youtu.be/8A-DnSN01tw