Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns"...a milestone in American religious publishing." New Catholic World Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns translated and introduced by Kathleen E. McVey preface by John Meyendorff "Blessed be the Child who today delights Bethlehem. Blessed be the Newborn Who today made the humanity young again. Blessed be the Fruit Who Bowed Himself down for our hunger. Blessed be the Gracious One Who suddenly enriched all of our poverty and filled our need." Ephrem the Syrian (c.306-373) Ephrem was born in the Mesopotamian city of Nisibis toward the end of the third century. An outpost of the Roman Empire, Nisibis and its Christian citizens were to be formed by the reign of Constantine and by the doctrines of the Council of Nicea. There, in the context of a large and sophisticated Jewish population and numerous Gnostic sects, Ephrem sought to defend orthodox Nicene Christianity. His teaching and writing made him an influential voice in the life of Syriac Christianity through the peaceful years of Constantine's patronage, the years of persecution after 361 under Emperor Julian, and the conflict between Persians and Romans which ultimately forced Ephrem to move to Edessa where he stayed until his death in 373. It was as a poet that Ephrem made his greatest impact. Writing in isosyllabic verses called madrashe, he attained a literary brilliance that won him a place of prominence not only in his own tradition, but also in the Coptic, Ethiopian, Armenian, and Arabic traditions as well. His hymns, praised in the West by Jerome, had a formative influence on the development of medieval religious drama in Europe. Blending Greek forms with his native style, he wove a highly crafted poetry of rich symbolism, attempting to fit the events of his day into a cosmic framework of God's redemptive act in Christ. Ephrem's combination of elements of Stoicism and Middle Platonism with Christian belief in a form reminiscent of the great second century apologists produced a corpus that speaks of his own literary genius and even more eloquently of the majesty and beauty of the divine source of all true poetry. Here, in a fresh and lively translation, are the Hymns on the Nativity, Hymns Against Julian, and the Hymns on Virginity and the Symbols of the Lord in which that voice may be heard closely and appreciated, wondered at, and enjoyed. + |
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Common terms and phrases
Adam Anointed Aphrahat apostles Babe baptism Bardaisan became Beck Behold Bildtheologie birth Blessed body Bowersock bread chaste Christ Christian church circumcised conquered creation Creator crown crucified CSCO daughter David death Diatesseron divine earth Edessa Ephrem the Syrian Eucharist evil Father fruits garment gave Gentiles give thanks glorious glory Greek harp hidden Holy human hymn idem imagery incarnation Jesus Jewish Jews John Jonah Julian king Kronholm Lamb light Lord Luke Magi Marcionites Mariologie Mary Matt melody mercy Messiah Moses mother mouth nature Nineveh Nisibis note ad loc Odes of Solomon offered Old Testament pagan Persian polemic portrayed praise priest prophets Refrain rejoiced Roman Satan scripture Shapur Shechem Sheol silent Sozomen Spirit strophe symbol Syriac Syriac Christian Temple theme theology translation treasure tree truth victory Virg virginity voice Watchers woman womb word worship yodh
Popular passages
Page 6 - In company with Paul I followed, while everywhere faith led the way, and set before me for food the fish from the fountain, mighty and stainless (whom a pure virgin grasped), and gave this to friends to eat always, having good wine and giving the mixed cup with bread.
Page 4 - Father) as Athanasius. In his own lifetime and for a half-century thereafter, his method of biblical interpretation was the sole standard among Syriac writers. Even after the formal introduction of Greek hermeneutical methods in the fifth century, Ephrem's interpretations continued to be studied and held in esteem. Despite uncertainty over the precise lines of his contact with Greek culture, not only a concept of orthodoxy but also many philosophical presuppositions and literary forms analogous to...
Page 46 - Let chastity be portrayed in your eyes and in your ears the sound of truth. Imprint your tongue with the word of life and upon your hands [imprint] all alms. Stamp your footsteps with visiting the sick, and let the image of your Lord be portrayed in your heart.
Page 42 - His symbols upon His possessions. When He created the world, He gazed at it and adorned it with His images. Streams of His symbols opened, flowed and poured forth His symbols on its members.
Page 34 - Paradoxically, Mary gave birth to and nourished and cared for the Incarnate One who gave life, nourishment and care to her. In this she represents all humans and indeed all creation: By power from Him Mary's womb became able to bear the One Who bears all. From the great treasury of all creation Mary gave to Him every thing that she gave. She gave Him milk from what He made exist. She gave Him food from what He had created.
Page 3 - ... persuaded that God's love and redemption are present and on display for all who open their eyes and ears, Ephrem had little patience for those who saw things differently. It is a challenge to his contemporary readers to disentangle the beauty of his symbolic theology from his recurrent polemics. Ephrem's importance for the history of Syriac literature, and for the history of Christianity in the Syriac-speaking context, is immense. His hymns, incorporated early into the liturgy, have remained...