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Sources chrétiennes #459
Hymns on the Nativity
Ephrem the Syrian was a Syriac Christian deacon and a prolific Syriac-language hymnographer and theologian of the fourth century. Ephrem is especially beloved in the Syriac Orthodox Church, and counted as a Venerable Father in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
- GenresTheologyChristianity
69 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 3, 2018
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24 people want to read
About the author
Ephrem the Syrian
175 books68 followersEphrem the Syrian was a Syriac deacon and a prolific Syriac-language hymnographer and theologian of the 4th century from the region of Syria. His works are hailed by Christians throughout the world, and many denominations venerate him as a saint. He has been declared a Doctor of the Church in Roman Catholicism. He is especially beloved in the Syriac Orthodox Church.
Ephrem wrote a wide variety of hymns, poems, and sermons in verse, as well as prose biblical exegesis. These were works of practical theology for the edification of the church in troubled times. So popular were his works, that, for centuries after his death, Christian authors wrote hundreds of pseudepigraphal works in his name. Ephrem's works witness to an early form of Christianity in which Western ideas take little part. He has been called the most significant of all of the fathers of the Syriac-speaking church tradition.
Ephrem wrote a wide variety of hymns, poems, and sermons in verse, as well as prose biblical exegesis. These were works of practical theology for the edification of the church in troubled times. So popular were his works, that, for centuries after his death, Christian authors wrote hundreds of pseudepigraphal works in his name. Ephrem's works witness to an early form of Christianity in which Western ideas take little part. He has been called the most significant of all of the fathers of the Syriac-speaking church tradition.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 19, 2024
I first fell in love with St. Ephrem the Syrian at a feast day celebration for him so when I discovered he had a series of hymns on the Nativity of our Lord, I was thrilled to prepare for Christmas through his theological poetry!
This was perfect for Advent as St. Ephrem advocates for proper watchfulness: “Satan teaches, O my brethren, one watching instead of another; to good deeds to be sleepy, and to ill awake and watchful. Even Judas Iscariot, for the whole night through was wakeful; and he sold the righteous Blood, that purchased the whole world.”
St. Ephrem also emphasized how Christ’s incarnation (not to mention Mary’s fiat) was the remedy to the fall of Adam and Eve: “…and He was capable to clothe them; not with leaves, but with that same glory that they had exchanged away.”
The hymns also emphasize Mary’s role and allow one to enter into her awe-struck wonder at being the mother of God: “How shall I open the fountain of milk to You, O Fountain? Or how shall I give nourishment to You that nourishes all from Your Table? How shall I bring swaddling clothes One wrapped round with rays of glory?”
Finally, St. Ephrem kneads together Jesus’s flesh in His birth and presence in the Eucharist: “the Bread that He broke exceeded the world’s needs, for the more it was divided, the more it multiplied exceedingly… In place of the senseless fire that eats up its own body of itself — the magi adored the Fire who gave His Body to be eaten.”
These hymns were excellent and a great compilation for Advent! I would recommend spreading out reading them a bit to fully enjoy them since some of the themes can get repetitive.
St. Ephrem the Syrian, pray for us!
This was perfect for Advent as St. Ephrem advocates for proper watchfulness: “Satan teaches, O my brethren, one watching instead of another; to good deeds to be sleepy, and to ill awake and watchful. Even Judas Iscariot, for the whole night through was wakeful; and he sold the righteous Blood, that purchased the whole world.”
St. Ephrem also emphasized how Christ’s incarnation (not to mention Mary’s fiat) was the remedy to the fall of Adam and Eve: “…and He was capable to clothe them; not with leaves, but with that same glory that they had exchanged away.”
The hymns also emphasize Mary’s role and allow one to enter into her awe-struck wonder at being the mother of God: “How shall I open the fountain of milk to You, O Fountain? Or how shall I give nourishment to You that nourishes all from Your Table? How shall I bring swaddling clothes One wrapped round with rays of glory?”
Finally, St. Ephrem kneads together Jesus’s flesh in His birth and presence in the Eucharist: “the Bread that He broke exceeded the world’s needs, for the more it was divided, the more it multiplied exceedingly… In place of the senseless fire that eats up its own body of itself — the magi adored the Fire who gave His Body to be eaten.”
These hymns were excellent and a great compilation for Advent! I would recommend spreading out reading them a bit to fully enjoy them since some of the themes can get repetitive.
St. Ephrem the Syrian, pray for us!
November 22, 2024
This is the first time I seriously read a Syriac author and it began with poetry. Other considerable figures such as St. Jacob of Serugh, Isaac of Nineveh, Ibas of Edessa, and Theodore of Mopsuestia are considered to be theological and poetic representatives of the Syriac world. But all this credit can truly be given its big-bang of an origin with no other than St. Ephrem. Part of his life was apologetics, defending against Marcionites, Arians, and Gnostics. Of course as a Christian monk, acts of his charity also are recorded and affirmed- though this is much in his later life after the death of Julian the Apostate and his migration to a city more west to flee from Persia. I really did enjoy it. Even if I did not understand all of it, a significant amount of it really touched me. I wanted to share some phrases that would represent not just himself, but Syriac Christian poetry and beliefs:
''Praise to the Fountain that was sent for our propitiation. Praise be to Him Who made void the Sabbath by fulfilling it! Praise too to Him Who rebuked the leprosy and it remained not, Whom the fever saw and fled! Praise to the Merciful, Who bore our toil! Glory to Your coming, which quickened the sons of men! . . . Glory to Him Who could never be measured by us! Our heart is too small for Him, yea our mind is too feeble. He makes foolish our littleness by the riches of His Wisdom. Glory to Him, Who lowered Himself, and asked; that He might hear and learn that which He knew; that He might by His questions reveal the treasure of His helpful graces!'' - Hymn II
''Your day reconciled Heaven and earth, because therein the Highest came down to the lowest.'' - Hymn III
''Let every man chase away his weariness, since that Majesty was not wearied with being in the womb nine months for us, and in being thirty years in Sodom among the madmen.'' - Hymn IV
''Praised be the Wise One, who reconciled and joined the Divine with the Human Nature. One from above and one from below, He confined the Natures as medicines, and being the Image of God, became man.'' - Hymn VI
''From Melchizedek, the High Priest, a hyssop came to You, a throne and crown from the house of David, a race and family from Abraham.'' - Hymn VII
''We come to see You as God, and, lo! You are a man: we come to see You as man, and there shines forth the Light of Your Godhead!'' - Hymn VIII
I would like to give a huge credit to Fr. Constantin, a Maronite Catholic Priest in the North of the United States. His video on fasting and his open dissertation really did a lot for my curiosity.
''Praise to the Fountain that was sent for our propitiation. Praise be to Him Who made void the Sabbath by fulfilling it! Praise too to Him Who rebuked the leprosy and it remained not, Whom the fever saw and fled! Praise to the Merciful, Who bore our toil! Glory to Your coming, which quickened the sons of men! . . . Glory to Him Who could never be measured by us! Our heart is too small for Him, yea our mind is too feeble. He makes foolish our littleness by the riches of His Wisdom. Glory to Him, Who lowered Himself, and asked; that He might hear and learn that which He knew; that He might by His questions reveal the treasure of His helpful graces!'' - Hymn II
''Your day reconciled Heaven and earth, because therein the Highest came down to the lowest.'' - Hymn III
''Let every man chase away his weariness, since that Majesty was not wearied with being in the womb nine months for us, and in being thirty years in Sodom among the madmen.'' - Hymn IV
''Praised be the Wise One, who reconciled and joined the Divine with the Human Nature. One from above and one from below, He confined the Natures as medicines, and being the Image of God, became man.'' - Hymn VI
''From Melchizedek, the High Priest, a hyssop came to You, a throne and crown from the house of David, a race and family from Abraham.'' - Hymn VII
''We come to see You as God, and, lo! You are a man: we come to see You as man, and there shines forth the Light of Your Godhead!'' - Hymn VIII
I would like to give a huge credit to Fr. Constantin, a Maronite Catholic Priest in the North of the United States. His video on fasting and his open dissertation really did a lot for my curiosity.
December 21, 2025
Splendid. This work is probably one of the most memorable that I have read. Though across languages and cultures, Ephrem articulates profound reflections on the incarnation. Take the following, for instance: "The day of the All-Lightening, exults in His birth;—a pillar of radiance, which drives away,
by its beams—the works of darkness. After the type of that day, wherein light was created,—and
sundered the darkness that spread—over the fair beauty of Creation;—the radiance of our Saviour’s
birth—came in to sunder the darkness that was on the heart." The beauty, vibrancy, and depth of Christ's incarnation are wonderfully set out in poetic style. I will probably return to this work next Christmas, too.
21/12/2025: Re-read. Excellent.
by its beams—the works of darkness. After the type of that day, wherein light was created,—and
sundered the darkness that spread—over the fair beauty of Creation;—the radiance of our Saviour’s
birth—came in to sunder the darkness that was on the heart." The beauty, vibrancy, and depth of Christ's incarnation are wonderfully set out in poetic style. I will probably return to this work next Christmas, too.
21/12/2025: Re-read. Excellent.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews