Massacre of the Infants (qetlo d-yaludé)

Massacre of the Infants (qetlo d-yaludé)

December 27th is the commemoration of the Massacre of the Infants of Bethlehem (dukhron qetlo d-yaludé d'bethlhem) according to the Liturgical Calendar of the Syriac Orthodox Church.The Holy Church commemorates the martyrdom of the children of Bethlehem & surrounding areas who were mercilessly slaughtered by King Herod as written in Matthew 2:16. He ordered the execution of all the children 2 years & younger, fearing that one of them would be the divine infant that would become the true King as prophesied long ago. These Holy Innocents who were murdered would be the first martyrs. Additionally, the Gospel passage speaks of the angel's warning given to St. Joseph the Righteous, who is told to take St. Mary & the Christ-child to Egypt to escape King Herod's clutches. Thus beginning the flight into Egypt. Meditation by Mor Ephrem on The Massacre of the Infants:The infants who were slain full filled two functions: they were witnesses to the righteous who were slain, and accusers of the murderers. For, if [the latter] had dragged [the Lord] to perdition because he had unhesitatingly said, I am God, why did they kill the innocents before these could become his heralds? A voice was heard in Ramah, Rachel who was weeping for her children. If Bethlehem was [a city] of Judah, the son of Leah, why was Rachel weeping for her children who are not? It was because they no longer existed, that they might be killed for the Messiah. [Rachel was weeping] because the Redeemer would not be born from her children, since Leah was figurehead for the earlier people and Rachel the figurehead of the Church. But the barren one has given birth, and the sons of the widow have become more numerous than those of the married women. Or alternatively, because the tribe of Benjamin was close to the tribe of Judah, for it is written, Rachel died on the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. Similarly Moses, when he blessed Benjamin, said of him, He will dwell between his shoulders. The dwelling-place in fact was established in Jerusalem, which is in the inheritance of Benjamin. Samuel too, on anointing Saul as king of Israel, gave him a sign: You will meet three men at Zelzah, near Rachel’s tomb, in the territory of Benjamin. Saint Ephrem’s Commentary on Tatian’s Diatessaron, Carmel McCarthy, III, 6May the prayers of the Holy Innocent martyr Infants of Bethlehem be with us all. Amen. The Holy Bible readings from the Church Lectionary: Evening:St. Matthew 2:13-18Morning:St. Mark 6:1-6Before Holy Qurbono:Exodus 1:1-22Jeremiah 31:15-26Ezekiel 5:5-17Isaiah 60:8-14Holy Qurbono:Acts 7:11-29Romans 15:1-13St. Matthew 2:13-18Sermons including homily by St. John Chrysostom: https://goo.gl/YghnDFTone of the Day: 8Syriac prayers: https://tinyurl.com/3wkts55k Promiyon Sedro by Fr. George Vayaliparambil (Malayalam courtesy Hymonutho): https://youtu.be/E_ij5YGu6gASt. Severus the Great of Antioch Cathedral Homily # 8, 64 (Dec 29)Fixed Feast