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    •   7.06.2011
    48th Annual Maronite Convention
    July 06-10, 2011
    St. Sharbel
    Newtown Square, PA
    Philadelphia

      7.04.2012
    49th Annual Maronite Convention
    July 04-08, 2012
    St. George
    San Antonio, TX


      The Year of the Priest
    Celebrate the year of the priest
    Pray for more vocations
    http://vineyardofthelord.com


    ST. EPHREM, SYRIENNE



    Theologian, exegete, and Doctor of the Church; b. Nisibis, in Mesopotamia, c. 306; d. Edessa, June. 373 (Feast, January 28th in the East; June 18th in the West).

    Born into a pagan family (though some sources call his parents Christian), Ephrem was baptized at the age of 18 (or by 28) by the ascetic Bishop. James of Nisibis (303-338), whose influence on his early life was profound. Even more significant was the influence of James’ second successor, Vologeses (346-361), with his blending of ascetism and culture; in this period Ephrem was already a famous teacher in the School of Nisibis.

    When the Christian emperor Jovianus was compelled to cede Nisibis to the Persians after the defeat of Julian the Apostate (363), Ephrem emigrated with many other Christians to Edessa, where he continued to teach, and became a friend and counselor of Bishop Barses. The exegetical school of Edessa, intermediate in method between Antiochene literalism and Alexandrian typology, owes to him its glory and perhaps even its foundation. Ordained a deacon, possibly by James of Nisibis, he apparently never became a priest, and by feigning madness managed to escape episcopal consecration. The church historian Sozomen emphasized Ephrem’s reserve in dealing with women and a self-control that made it possible for him to dominate a natural irascibility.

    Some historical significance is attached to Ephrem’s works against heresies; e.g. the 2nd volume of the Syriac works contains 56 hymns against Marcion, Bardesanes, and Manes, while the 3rd volume has 87 hymns against the "investigators." i.e. skeptics, especially the Arians and Anomeans. More importantly, the hymns and discourses are of interest for the history of dogma. Ephrem’s doctrine on man’s last end is perfectly orthodox; a particular judgement that fixes the soul’s destiny after death; purgatory; and the eternity of hell’s punishments. But, like most of the Christian writers down to Pope Benedict XII, he saw the souls of the just awaiting the resurrection in a sort of sleep, not enjoying beatitude before the body’s resurrection. His forceful, realistic description of the last judgment inspired Dante.

    Remarkable as a devotee of the Virgin Mary, Ephrem extolled her cult and believed in her Immaculate Conception. Other dogmas that find support in him are original sin, free will and its harmony with Divine Grace, the primacy of Peter, intercession of the saints, and the real presence. An antiphon (no. 48) recovered in Armenian reveals the trinity, especially the spirit, at work in bringing the glorified humanity of Christ under the eucharistic species. Our Lord, through the Father’s right hand, i.e. the holy spirit, is in the Eucharist, and through the Eucharist is in people’s hearts, without diminution, in his entirety, adapting himself to their littleness. For Ephrem, as for many of the Eastern Fathers, the eucharistic consecration, as well as the incarnation and redemption, is the work of the whole trinity.

    Excerpts from New Catholic Encyclopedia
    Albert G. Albert, NAM Historian

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