Dr. Matthew Bunson discusses the life, times, and work of  St. Ephrem of Syria



Born: 306 AD, Nisibis, Turkey


Died: June 9, 373 AD, Edessa, Turkey



For more on St. Ephrem and his teachings
St. Ephraim the Syrian (306-373) 
– Nisibene Hymns   – Miscellaneous Hymns —
On the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh,
For the Feast of the Epiphany, and
On the Faith (“The Pearl”)   – Homilies —
On Our Lord, On Admonition and Repentance,
and On the Sinful Woman






From Vatican.va, an excerpt from the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI  General Audience 2007:


The figure of Ephrem is still absolutely timely for the life of the various Christian Churches. We discover him in the first place as a theologian who reflects poetically, on the basis of Holy Scripture, on the mystery of man’s redemption brought about by Christ, the Word of God incarnate. His is a theological reflection expressed in images and symbols taken from nature, daily life and the Bible. Ephrem gives his poetry and liturgical hymns a didactic and catechetical character: they are theological hymns yet at the same time suitable for recitation or liturgical song. On the occasion of liturgical feasts, Ephrem made use of these hymns to spread Church doctrine. Time has proven them to be an extremely effective catechetical instrument for the Christian community.
Ephrem’s reflection on the theme of God the Creator is important: nothing in creation is isolated and the world, next to Sacred Scripture, is a Bible of God. By using his freedom wrongly, man upsets the cosmic order. The role of women was important to Ephrem. The way he spoke of them was always inspired with sensitivity and respect: the dwelling place of Jesus in Mary’s womb greatly increased women’s dignity. Ephrem held that just as there is no Redemption without Jesus, there is no Incarnation without Mary. The divine and human dimensions of the mystery of our redemption can already be found in Ephrem&#...