A 19th century engraving of St. Ephrem the Syrian (306-73) from a private collection. Photo © The Holbarn Archive/Bridgeman Images

St. Ephrem the Syrian

Exploring the life and influence of this deacon and Doctor of the Church

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When Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (r. 306-337) ended the persecution of Christians in 313, Ephrem was 7 years old. He had no idea of the role God had in mind for him as a catalyst in the early evolution of the Christian faith. In every era, our supreme God raises individuals as champions for his Church. In the fourth century, he singled out St. Ephrem. Pope Benedict XVI called him, “Christianity’s most important Syriac-speaking representative and uniquely succeeded in reconciling the vocations of theologian and poet” (General Audience, Nov. 28, 2007).

Early Years

St. Ephrem
Ephrem the Syrian mosaic in Nea Moni of Chios monastery. Public Domain on Wikimedia Commons

Born in 306 in Nisibis, in the region of Mesopotamia-Syria, details of his life vary depending upon the many sources and publications referenced. Most agree that Ephrem was baptized at 18, spent time living as a hermit or monk, ordained as a deacon as early as 325 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1920. His name is spoken with the same reverence as the early Church Fathers: Sts. Athanasius (c. 296-373), Gregory of Nyssa (335-95), John Chrysostom (c. 347-407), Basil (329-79) and Gregory Nazianzen (329-90), his Eastern Church contemporaries.

However, in his very early life, he was considered a troublemaker, had a quick temper, was often ready to fight and had little use for religion. One source says that while spending time in jail for a crime he did not commit, his attitude and regard for his Creator changed. He would claim he heard a voice tell him he should give up his waywardness, repent of his past indiscretions and turn to God. For the remainder of his life, he was continuously in a state of contrition for his past sins.

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Pope Benedict XVI on St. Ephrem

“St. Ephrem has left us an important theological inheritance. His substantial opus can be divided into four categories: works written in ordinary prose (his polemic works or biblical commentaries); works written in poetic prose; homilies in verse; and lastly, hymns, undoubtedly Ephrem’s most abundant production. He is a rich and interesting author in many ways, but especially from the theological point of view. It is the fact that theology and poetry converge in his work which makes it so special. If we desire to approach his doctrine, we must insist on this from the outset: namely, on the fact that he produces theology in poetical form. Poetry enabled him to deepen his theological reflection through paradoxes and images.” — General Audience, Nov. 28, 2007

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Once out of jail, he would go off to a nearby hermitage or monastery and live in the manner of St. Anthony and the Desert fathers. Here, Ephrem became a disciple of a local bishop, St. James of Nisibis, who provided the future saint with instructions leading to his baptism. James of Nisibis was a defender of Jesus and the Church against the Arians; he was one of the bishops at the Council of Nicea in 325.

Ephrem chose an ascetic life as a monk and exhibited a complete love for his faith and Savior. It is said that he spent most of each night in prayer, that he slept on the ground and gave himself completely to all things holy while rejecting earthly riches and amusements. James recognized the holy, pious and confident demeanor of his student and called on him to teach others the Scriptures, the knowledge of truth, and to seek and draw close to God by living a sound and moral life. Ephrem was a model of Christian charity that those who today read his virtues can seek to imitate. St. Gregory of Nyssa compared Ephrem to the River Euphrates because, “irrigated by his waters, [he prompted] the Christian community to bring forth fruits of faith a hundredfold.”

Growth as a Theologian

He assisted Bishop James in expanding and enhancing the catechetical training endeavors at the School of Nisibis, considered among the oldest of all universities that taught theology, philosophy and medicine. In 363, the city of Nisibis was taken over by the Persians and Ephrem, along with other Christians, moved to Edessa (now part of Turkey). Ephrem would play a dominant role in the Edessa Theological School, which was widely renowned for Christian training in the Syriac-speaking world.

Tradition holds that around the year 368 he went on a journey, which included visiting St. Basil the Great in Caesarea, Cappadocia. After spending time with Ephrem and recognizing his holiness, Basil encouraged him to join the priesthood. Ephrem declined to believe himself worthy and was comfortable with his role in the diaconate, willingly absorbed in the ministry of serving others. Following his return from this journey, which also took him to Egypt, he wanted to live a life of solitude. But in 372 a famine struck Edessa causing hunger, poverty and disease. Ephrem went to assist the needy by finding and distributing food (classic charitable work of a deacon). This work is said to have exhausted Ephrem, leading to contracting a plaguelike disease, and he died in June 373. The pious, humble deacon was acclaimed as a saint shortly after his death.

Poetry, Hymns, Homilies

In his years of teaching, Ephrem wrote numerous reflections on the sacred Scriptures: homilies, poetry and hymns. At the time, there were no books and, even if there were, few people could read. He had a special gift that allowed him to put the Old and New Testament stories into a unique narrative form. His hymns that explain or narrate the creation story, the Incarnation, the apostles, the Blessed Mother, the Holy Trinity, among others, were particularly fitting for a time when everything was shared by word of mouth.

Among his many beautiful hymns, he expressed this narration about the Nativity: “At the birth of the Son, there was a great shouting in Bethlehem; for the angels came down, and gave praise there. The voices were a great thunder: at that voice of praise the silent ones came, and gave praise to the Son. … The shepherds also came laden with the gifts of their flock: sweet milk, clean flesh, befitting praise! They put a difference, and gave Joseph the flesh, Mary the milk, and the Son the praise! They brought and presented a suckling lamb to the Paschal Lamb, a first born to the First-born, a sacrifice to the Sacrifice, a lamb of time to the Lamb of Truth” (From On the Nativity, Hymn 5).

The listener (or the reader today) can, in their mind’s eye, see what is taking place at the miraculous Incarnation.

Ephrem wrote about Mary in these lines from the Nisibene Hymns: “You alone and your Mother are more beautiful than any others, for there is no blemish in you, nor any stains upon your Mother. Who of my children can compare in beauty to these?” (No. 27).

Ephrem is pointing out that not only Jesus but the Blessed Mother was indeed void of original or any sin; this was the forerunner to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception that the Church defined 14 centuries later.

He was a great defender of Christianity against the heretics of his time, the Arians and Gnostics, and used hymns to reject and show the errors of their teachings. He said he would fervently defend his faith, “because like the bugle, faith hates to be silent.”

His genius for explaining the Scriptures and Christian beliefs is demonstrated in a homily regarding the Last Judgment. He uses unforgettable imagery about the King of Kings descending from heaven and calling all people to the judgment seat: “Then will each Christian be examined whether he has the seal of holy baptism and the treasure of faith; each Christian will be asked whether he has lived according to his renunciation of satan and his works, not only one or two of his works but all in general. Oh, blessed is he who has faithfully kept his promise.”

Ephrem describes the plight of others: “Farewell O saving Cross! Farewell Paradise, thou field of delight, thou everlasting kingdom, thou heavenly Jerusalem! Farewell ye blessed! Farewell to bliss! We shall see you no more. We are sinking into our abyss of pain and torments; we have no hope of salvation forever.” (“Fathers of the Desert,” Hahn-Hahn, Burnes and Oates, London, 1907) This homily is said to have influenced Dante in writing his Divine Comedy. 

D.D. EMMONS writes from Pennsylvania.

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Doctor of the Church

Pope Benedict XV.
A photo of Pope Benedict XV (1854-1922). Universal History Archive/UIG / Bridgeman Images

In 1920, Pope Benedict XV (r. 1914-22), elevated St. Ephrem to the august position of Doctor of the Church. He is the only Syrian and the only deacon so named. Benedict’s choice in large measure is due to Ephrem’s commentaries, especially the hundreds of poems and hymns he wrote to explain the sacred Scriptures and the Christian faith. In fact, it is estimated that he wrote as many as 3 million lines of poetry and 400 hymns; some still survive. His hymnography garnered Ephrem the title Harp of the Holy Spirit.

In his encyclical honoring St. Ephrem, Pope Benedict had much to say about the works of the saint: “It is no wonder then that many of the Fathers of the Church stress the authority of St. Ephrem. Nyssenus says of his [Ephrem’s] writings, ‘Studying the Old and New Scriptures most thoroughly, he interpreted them accurately, word for word; and what was hidden and concealed, from the very creation of the world to the last book of grace, he illumined with commentaries, using the light of the Spirit.’ And Chrysostom: ‘The great Ephrem is scourge of the slothful, consoler of the afflicted, educator, instructor and exhorter of youth, mirror of monks, leader of penitents, goad and sting of heretics, reservoir of virtues, and the home and lodging of the Holy Spirit.’ Certainly nothing can be said in praise of a man who, however, seemed so small in his own eyes that he claimed to be the least of all and most vile sinner.

“Therefore, God, who has ‘exalted the humble’ bestows great glory on blessed Ephrem and proposes him to his age as a doctor of heavenly wisdom and an example of the choicest virtues” (Nos. 14-15).

Pope Benedict XV included the new Doctor of the Church in the annual liturgical calendar and his feast day is celebrated on June 9 (optional memorial). The collect of the Mass on this day reads: “Pour into our hearts, O Lord we pray, the Holy Spirit, at whose prompting the Deacon St. Ephrem exulted in singing of your mysteries and from whom he received the strength to serve you alone. Through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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