God
120-667: The Syriac Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Christian jurisdiction originating in the Levant that uses the West Syriac Rite liturgy and has many practices and rites in common with the Syriac Orthodox Church . Being one of the twenty-three Eastern Catholic Churches, the Syriac Catholic Church is a self-governed sui iuris particular church , while it is in full communion with
240-746: A particular church , the word has been and is still sometimes, even if rarely, officially used of the particular church itself. Thus the term Latin rite can refer either to the Latin Church or to one or more of the Latin liturgical rites , which include the Roman Rite , Ambrosian Rite , Mozarabic Rite , and others. In the 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO), the terms autonomous Church and rite are thus defined: A group of Christian faithful linked in accordance with
360-689: A "herdsman" ( ܥܠܢܐ , ‘allānâ ), to his bishop as the "shepherd" ( ܪܥܝܐ , rā‘yâ ), and to his community as a 'fold' ( ܕܝܪܐ , dayrâ ). Ephrem is popularly credited as the founder of the School of Nisibis , which, in later centuries, was the centre of learning of the Church of the East . In 337, Emperor Constantine I , who had legalised and promoted the practice of Christianity in the Roman Empire, died. Seizing on this opportunity, Shapur II of Persia began
480-516: A juridical-pastoral nature, constantly taking initiative from a theological perspective. Past interventions by the Holy See, the Instruction said, were in some ways defective and needed revision, but often served also as a safeguard against aggressive initiatives. These interventions felt the effects of the mentality and convictions of the times, according to which a certain subordination of
600-405: A model of the unity our Churches are seeking." At the same time, the commission stated: These principles were repeated in the 2016 Joint Declaration of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill , which stated that 'It is today clear that the past method of “uniatism”, understood as the union of one community to the other, separating it from its Church, is not the way to re–establish unity. Nonetheless,
720-474: A number of married priests. The liturgy of the Syriac Catholic Church is very similar to that of the Syriac Orthodox Church . The Syriac Catholic Church uses fans with bells on them and engraved with seraphim during the Qurbono. Usually someone in the minor orders would shake these fans behind a bishop to symbolise the seraphim . They are also used during the consecration where two men would shake them over
840-468: A popular source of inspiration throughout the church. There is a huge corpus of Ephrem pseudepigraphy and legendary hagiography in many languages. Some of these compositions are in verse, often mimicking Ephrem's heptasyllabic couplets. There is a very large number of works by "Ephrem" extant in Greek. In the literature this material is often referred to as "Greek Ephrem", or Ephraem Graecus (as opposed to
960-491: A rich variety of symbols and metaphors. Christopher Buck gives a summary of analysis of a selection of six key scenarios (the way, robe of glory, sons and daughters of the Covenant , wedding feast, harrowing of hell , Noah's Ark /Mariner) and six root metaphors (physician, medicine of life, mirror, pearl, Tree of life , paradise ). Ephrem's meditations on the symbols of Christian faith and his stand against heresy made him
1080-551: A series of attacks into Roman North Mesopotamia . Nisibis was besieged in 338, 346 and 350. During the first siege, Ephrem credits Bishop Jacob as defending the city with his prayers. In the third siege, of 350, Shapur rerouted the River Mygdonius to undermine the walls of Nisibis. The Nisibenes quickly repaired the walls while the Persian elephant cavalry became bogged down in the wet ground. Ephrem celebrated what he saw as
1200-667: A similar tradition to other Eastern Catholic Churches who use the West Syriac Rite , such as the Maronites and Syro-Malankara Christians. This rite is clearly distinct from the Greek Byzantine rite of Antioch of the Melkite Catholics and their Orthodox counterparts. Syriac Catholic priests were traditionally bound to celibacy by the Syriac Catholic local Synod of Sharfeh in 1888, but there are now
1320-644: A specific rite" (canon 476), etc. The Second Vatican Council spoke of Eastern Catholic Churches as "particular Churches or rites". In 1999, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops stated: "We have been accustomed to speaking of the Latin (Roman or Western) Rite or the Eastern Rites to designate these different Churches. However, the Church's contemporary legislation as contained in
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#17327720613321440-719: A supporter of union with the Catholic Church , was elected as patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church. This provoked a split in the community, and after Akijan's death in 1677, two opposing patriarchs were elected, with the pro-Catholic one being the uncle of Andrew Akijan. However, when the Catholic patriarch died in 1702, the Ottoman government supported the Syriac Orthodoxy's agitation against
1560-524: A systematic whole, completing them with further clarification: thus, the intent of the Instruction, presented to the Eastern Churches which are in full communion with the Apostolic See , is to help them fully realize their own identity. The authoritative general directive of this Instruction, formulated to be implemented in Eastern celebrations and liturgical life, articulates itself in propositions of
1680-461: A variety of scholarly writings in a variety of topics. For example, Patriarch Ephrem Rahmani was widely praised for his work in Syriac and is responsible for Pope Benedict XV recognising Saint Ephrem as a Doctor of the Catholic Church . Likewise Patriarch Ignatius Behnam II Beni is known for imploring Eastern theology to defend the primacy of Rome . The patriarch of Antioch and all the East of
1800-526: A witness to the Apostolicity of the Catholic Church, that their diversity, consistent with unity of the faith, is itself a witness to the unity of the Church, that they add to her dignity and honour. He says that the Catholic Church does not possess one rite only, but that she embraces all the ancient rites of Christendom; her unity consists not in a mechanical uniformity of all her parts, but on
1920-704: Is celebrated on 28 January and on the Saturday of the Venerable Fathers ( Cheesefare Saturday), which is the Saturday before the beginning of Great Lent . On 5 October 1920, Pope Benedict XV proclaimed Ephrem a Doctor of the Church ("Doctor of the Syrians"). The most popular title for Ephrem is Harp of the Spirit (Syriac: ܟܢܪܐ ܕܪܘܚܐ , Kenārâ d-Rûḥâ ). He is also referred to as the Deacon of Edessa,
2040-406: Is defined by an antiphon , or congregational refrain (ܥܘܢܝܬܐ, ‘ûnîṯâ ), between each independent strophe (or verse), and the refrain's melody mimics that of the opening half of the strophe. Each madrāšâ had its qālâ (ܩܠܐ), a traditional tune identified by its opening line. All of these qālê are now lost. It seems that Bardaisan and Mani composed madrāšê , and Ephrem felt that the medium
2160-593: Is impossible to translate in most other languages, and is not universally accepted even in English. These churches are also referred to as pre-Chalcedonian or now more rarely as non-Chalcedonian or anti-Chalcedonian . In languages other than English other means are used to distinguish the two families of Churches. Some reserve the term "Orthodox" for those that are here called "Eastern Orthodox" Churches, but members of what are called " Oriental Orthodox " Churches consider this illicit. The East–West Schism came about in
2280-759: Is not in doubt. The church historian Sozomen credits Ephrem with having written over three million lines. Ephrem combines in his writing a threefold heritage: he draws on the models and methods of early Rabbinic Judaism , he engages skillfully with Greek science and philosophy, and he delights in the Mesopotamian/Persian tradition of mystery symbolism. The most important of his works are his lyric, teaching hymns (ܡܕܖ̈ܫܐ, madrāšê ). These hymns are full of rich, poetic imagery drawn from biblical sources, folk tradition, and other religions and philosophies. The madrāšê are written in stanzas of syllabic verse and employ over fifty different metrical schemes. The form
2400-537: Is sometimes considered derogatory by such people, though it was used by some Latin and Eastern Catholics prior to the Second Vatican Council of 1962–1965. Official Catholic documents no longer use the term due to its perceived negative overtones. Eastern Catholic Churches have their origins in the Middle East , North Africa , East Africa , Eastern Europe and South India . However, since
2520-886: Is the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches , which by law includes as members all Eastern Catholic patriarchs and major archbishops. The largest six churches based on membership are, in order, the Syro-Malabar Church (East Syriac Rite), the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC; Byzantine Rite), the Maronite Church (West Syriac Rite), the Melkite Greek Catholic Church (Byzantine Rite), the Chaldean Catholic Church (East Syriac Rite), and
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#17327720613322640-414: Is the more complicated seven-volume version. While the latter is the simple version. Likewise the ranking of clerics in the Syriac Catholic Church is extremely similar to that of the Syriac Orthodox Church . The most notable differences are: The liturgical language of the Syriac Catholic Church, Syriac , is a dialect of Aramaic . The Qurbono Qadisho (literally: Holy Mass or Holy Offering/Sacrifice) of
2760-539: Is the term given to Latin translations of "Ephrem Graecus". None is by Ephrem the Syrian. "Pseudo Ephrem Latinus" is the name given to Latin works under the name of Ephrem which are imitations of the style of Ephrem Latinus. There has been very little critical examination of any of these works. They were edited uncritically by Assemani, and there is also a modern Greek edition by Phrantzolas. Soon after Ephrem's death, legendary accounts of his life began to circulate. One of
2880-741: Is venerated as a saint by all traditional Churches. He is especially revered in Syriac Christianity , both in East Syriac tradition and West Syriac tradition , and also counted as a Holy and Venerable Father (i.e., a sainted monk) in the Eastern Orthodox Church , especially in the Slovak tradition. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in the Roman Catholic Church in 1920. Ephrem is also credited as
3000-468: The Cave of Treasures , can be attributed to Ephrem, but later scholarly analyses have shown that the work in question was written much later ( c. 600) by an unknown author, thus also showing that Ephrem's original works still belonged to the tradition unaffected by exonymic (foreign) labeling. One of the early admirers of Ephrem's works, theologian Jacob of Serugh (d. 521), who already belonged to
3120-546: The Acts of the Apostles and Pauline Epistles . He also wrote refutations against Bardaisan , Mani , Marcion and others. Syriac churches still use many of Ephrem's hymns as part of the annual cycle of worship. However, most of these liturgical hymns are edited and conflated versions of the originals. The most complete, critical text of authentic Ephrem was compiled between 1955 and 1979 by Dom Edmund Beck, OSB, as part of
3240-631: The Armenian Catholic Church (Armenian Rite). These six churches account for about 85% of the membership of the Eastern Catholic Churches. On 30 November 1894, Pope Leo XIII issued the apostolic constitution Orientalium dignitas , in which he stated: The Churches of the East are worthy of the glory and reverence that they hold throughout the whole of Christendom in virtue of those extremely ancient, singular memorials that they have bequeathed to us. For it
3360-630: The Code of Canon Law and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches makes it clear that we ought to speak, not of rites, but of Churches. Canon 112 of the Code of Canon Law uses the phrase 'autonomous ritual Churches' to designate the various Churches." And a writer in a periodical of January 2006 declared: "The Eastern Churches are still mistakenly called 'Eastern-Rite' Churches, a reference to their various liturgical histories. They are most properly called Eastern Churches, or Eastern Catholic Churches." However,
3480-563: The Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium . Ephrem is attributed with writing hagiographies such as The Life of Saint Mary the Harlot , though this credit is called into question. One of the works attributed to Ephrem was the Cave of Treasures , written by a much later but unknown author, who lived at the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 7th century. Ephrem's writings contain
3600-507: The Council of Chalcedon . The Syriac Catholic Church came into full communion with the Holy See and the modern Syriac Orthodox Church is the result of those that did not want to join the Catholic Church. Therefore, the Syriac Catholic Church is considered by some to be a continuation of the original Church of Antioch. The church is headed by Mor Ignatius Joseph III Younan , who has been the patriarch since 2009. Its patriarch of Antioch has
3720-590: The Council of Florence (1431–1445), these controversies about Western theological elaborations and usages were identified as, chiefly, the insertion of " Filioque " into the Nicene Creed , the use of unleavened bread for the Eucharist , purgatory , and the authority of the pope. The schism is generally considered to have started in 1054, when the Patriarch of Constantinople , Michael I Cerularius , and
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3840-636: The Council of Florence convened, which featured a strong dialogue focused on understanding the theological differences between the East and West, with the hope of reuniting the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Several eastern churches associated themselves with Rome, forming Eastern Catholic churches. The See of Rome accepted them without requiring that they adopt the customs of the Latin Church, so that they all have their own "liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary heritage, differentiated by peoples' culture and historical circumstances, that finds expression in each sui iuris Church's own way of living
3960-481: The Eucharist and the other sacraments. Full communion with the bishop of Rome constitutes mutual sacramental sharing between the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Latin Church and the recognition of papal supremacy . Provisions within the 1983 Latin canon law and the 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches govern the relationship between the Eastern and Latin Churches. Historically, pressure to conform to
4080-614: The Holy See and with the entirety of the Roman Catholic Church . The Syriac Catholic Church traces its history and traditions to the early centuries of Christianity. Following the Chalcedonian Schism , the Church of Antioch became part of Oriental Orthodoxy and was known as the Syriac Orthodox Church , while a new Antiochian patriarchate was established to fill its place by those churches that accepted
4200-472: The Latin Church , which uses the Latin liturgical rites , among which the Roman Rite is the most widespread. The Eastern Catholic churches are instead distinct particular churches sui iuris , although they maintain full and equal, mutual sacramental exchange with members of the Latin Church. There are different meanings of the word rite . Apart from its reference to the liturgical patrimony of
4320-716: The Middle East , and India . As of 2022, the Syro-Malabar Church is the largest Eastern Catholic Church, followed by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church . With the exception of the Maronite Church , the Eastern Catholic Churches are groups that, at different points in the past, used to belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church , the Oriental Orthodox churches, or the Church of the East ; these churches underwent various schisms throughout history. Eastern Catholic Churches formerly part of other communions have been points of controversy in ecumenical relations with
4440-468: The Papal Legate , Humbert of Silva Candida , issued mutual excommunications ; in 1965, these excommunications were revoked by both Rome and Constantinople. In spite of that event, for many years both churches continued to maintain friendly relations and seemed to be unaware of any formal or final rupture. However, estrangement continued. In 1190, Eastern Orthodox theologian Theodore Balsamon , who
4560-654: The Persian Gulf . Its scholarly mission in both languages, Greek and Syriac , was to provide the world and the Universal Church with eminent saints, scholars, hermits, martyrs and pastors. Among these great people are Saint Ephrem (373), Doctor of the Church, and Saint Jacob of Sarug (521). During the Crusades there were many examples of warm relations between Catholic and Syriac Orthodox bishops. Some of these bishops favored union with Rome, but there
4680-643: The Syriac language . The city was rich with rivaling philosophies and religions. Ephrem comments that orthodox Nicene Christians were simply called "Palutians" in Edessa, after a former bishop. Arians , Marcionites , Manichees , Bardaisanites and various gnostic sects proclaimed themselves as the true church. In this confusion, Ephrem wrote a great number of hymns defending Nicene orthodoxy. A later Syriac writer, Jacob of Serugh , wrote that Ephrem rehearsed all-female choirs to sing his hymns set to Syriac folk tunes in
4800-476: The conciliar constitution on the Roman rite, "in the very nature of things, affect other rites as well." The Instruction states: The liturgical laws valid for all the Eastern Churches are important because they provide the general orientation. However, being distributed among various texts, they risk remaining ignored, poorly coordinated and poorly interpreted. It seemed opportune, therefore, to gather them in
4920-401: The ordination of married men to the priesthood (although not as bishops to the episcopacy ), in contrast to the stricter clerical celibacy of Latin Church. Both Latin and Eastern Catholics may freely attend a Catholic liturgy celebrated in any rite. Although Eastern Catholics are in full communion with the pope and members of the worldwide Catholic Church , they are not members of
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5040-987: The patriarch of Antioch (an ancient major see, where several Catholic and Orthodox patriarchates nominally reside) was Moran Mor Ignatius Joseph III Younan , resident in Beirut , Lebanon . The Syriac Catholic patriarch always takes the name "Ignatius" in addition to another name. In modern history the leaders of the Syriac Catholic Church have been: Patriarch Michael III Jarweh , Archbishop Clemens Daoud , Patriarch Ephrem Rahmani , Vicomte de Tarrazi , Monsignor Ishac Armaleh , Ignatius Gabriel I Tappouni , Chorbishop Gabriel Khoury-Sarkis , Ignatius Antony II Hayyek , Ignatius Moses I Daoud , Ignatius Peter VIII Abdalahad , and Ignatius Joseph III Yonan. Eminent Syriac saints, scholars, hermits, martyrs and pastors since 1100 also include Dionysius Bar Salibi (1171), Gregorius X Bar Hebraeus (1286) and more recently Bishop Mor Flavianus Michael Malke . The Syriac Church leadership has produced
5160-565: The pope in Rome . Although they are distinct theologically, liturgically, and historically from the Latin Church , they are all in full communion with it and with each other. Eastern Catholics are a minority within the Catholic Church; of the 1.3 billion Catholics in communion with the pope, approximately 18 million are members of the eastern churches. The largest numbers of Eastern Catholics may be found in Eastern Europe , Eastern Africa ,
5280-730: The pope of Rome . Since Jarweh, there has been an unbroken succession of Syriac Catholic patriarchs . The Syriac Catholic Church ( Classical Syriac : ܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝܬܐ , romanized: ʿĪṯo Suryoyṯo Qaṯolīqayṯo ) is sometimes also called the Syrian Catholic Church. Furthermore, it is sometimes referred by its patriarchate, the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch . See also: Syriac Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch . The Syriac Catholic Church claims its origin through Saint Peter prior to his departure to Rome, and extends its roots back to
5400-623: The 12th–13th centuries, the two sides had become openly hostile, each considering that the other no longer belonged to the church that was orthodox and catholic. Over time, it became customary to refer to the Eastern side as the Orthodox Church and the Western as the Catholic Church, without either side thereby renouncing its claim of being the truly orthodox or the truly catholic church. Parties within many non-Latin churches repeatedly sought to organize efforts to restore communion. In 1438,
5520-451: The 1915 Assyrian genocide . On 31 October 2010, 58 Iraqi Syriac Catholics were killed by Muslim extremists while attending Sunday Divine Liturgy; 78 others were wounded. The attack by Iraqi ISIS on the congregation of Our Lady of Deliverance Syriac Catholic Church was the bloodiest single attack on an Iraqi Christian church in recent history. Two priests, Fathers Saad Abdallah Tha'ir and Waseem Tabeeh, were killed. Another, Father Qatin,
5640-697: The 19th century, diaspora has spread to Western Europe , the Americas and Oceania in part because of persecution , where eparchies have been established to serve adherents alongside those of Latin Church dioceses . Latin Catholics in the Middle East , on the other hand, are traditionally cared for by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem . Communion between Christian churches has been broken over matters of faith, whereby each side accused
5760-552: The Chaldean Catholic Church—an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with Rome—and two Assyrian churches which are not in communion with either Rome or each other. The Chaldean Catholic Church is the largest of the three. The groups of Assyrians who did not reunify with Rome remained and are known as the Assyrian Church of the East , which experienced an internal schism in 1968 which led to
5880-540: The Church, Lumen gentium , deals with Eastern Catholic Churches in paragraph 23, stating: By divine Providence it has come about that various churches, established in various places by the apostles and their successors, have in the course of time coalesced into several groups, organically united, which, preserving the unity of faith and the unique divine constitution of the universal Church, enjoy their own discipline, their own liturgical usage, and their own theological and spiritual heritage. Some of these churches, notably
6000-411: The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches brought together, in one place, the developments that took place in previous texts, and is "an expository expansion based upon the canons, with constant emphasis upon the preservation of Eastern liturgical traditions and a return to those usages whenever possible—certainly in preference to the usages of the Latin Church , however much some principles and norms of
6120-867: The Congregation for the Eastern Churches in 1931, and above all after the Second Vatican Council and the Apostolic Letter Orientale Lumen by John Paul II, respect for the Eastern liturgies is an indisputable attitude and the Apostolic See can offer a more complete service to the Churches. Saint Ephrem Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure : Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: Ephrem
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#17327720613326240-404: The East: each individual sui iuris church also has its own canons, its own particular law, layered on top of this code. In 1993 the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church submitted the document Uniatism, method of union of the past, and the present search for full communion , also known as the Balamand declaration , "to
6360-507: The Eastern Orthodox and other non-Catholic churches. The five historic liturgical traditions of Eastern Christianity, comprising the Alexandrian Rite , the Armenian Rite , the Byzantine Rite , the East Syriac Rite , and the West Syriac Rite , are all represented within Eastern Catholic liturgy . On occasion, this leads to a conflation of the liturgical word "rite" and the institutional word "church". Some Eastern Catholic jurisdictions admit members of churches not in communion with Rome to
6480-404: The Episcopal bodies of today are in a position to render a manifold and fruitful assistance, so that this collegiate feeling may be put into practical application. The 1964 decree Unitatis redintegratio deals with Eastern Catholic Churches in paragraphs 14–17. The First Vatican Council discussed the need for a common code for the Eastern churches, but no concrete action was taken. Only after
6600-434: The Incarnation of Christ as fully human and divine. Ephrem asserts that Christ's unity of humanity and divinity represents peace, perfection and salvation; in contrast, docetism and other heresies sought to divide or reduce Christ's nature and, in doing so, rend and devalue Christ's followers with their false teachings. The relationship between Ephrem's compositions and femininity is shown again in documentation suggesting that
6720-403: The Orthodox Church used "unacceptable means". The missionary outlook and proselytism that accompanied the Unia was judged incompatible with the rediscovery by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches of each other as Sister Churches. Thus the commission concluded that the "missionary apostolate, ... which has been called 'uniatism', can no longer be accepted either as a method to be followed or as
6840-416: The Ottoman government granted legal recognition to the Armenian Catholic Church , and in 1845 the Syriac Catholic Church was also granted its own civil emancipation. Meanwhile, the residence of the patriarch was shifted to Aleppo in 1831. However, after the Massacre of Aleppo in 1850 , the patriarchal see was shifted to Mardin in 1854. After becoming officially recognized by the Ottoman government in 1845,
6960-470: The Syriac Catholic Church expanded rapidly. However, the expansion was ended by the persecutions and massacres that took place during the Assyrian genocide of World War I . After that, the Syriac Catholic patriarchal see was moved to Beirut away from Mardin, to which many Ottoman Christians had fled the genocide. In addition to its see in Beirut, the patriarchal seminary and printing house are located at Sharfeh Monastery in Sharfeh , Lebanon . As of 2013,
7080-432: The Syriac Catholics, and throughout the 18th century the Syriac Catholics underwent suffering and much persecution. Due to this, there were long periods when no Syriac Catholic bishops were functioning, so a patriarch could not be elected, and the community was forced to go entirely underground. However, in 1782, the Syriac Orthodox Holy Synod elected Metropolitan Michael Jarweh of Aleppo as patriarch. [1] Shortly after he
7200-409: The Syriac Church uses a variety of Anaphoras , with the Anaphora of the 12 Apostles being the one mostly in use with the Liturgy of St James the Just . Their ancient semitic language is known as Aramaic (or "Syriac" after the time of Christ since the majority of people who spoke this language belonged to the province of "Syria"). It is the language spoken by Jesus, Mary and the Apostles. Many of
7320-442: The Syriac Church. This provoked a split in the community, and after Akijan's death in 1677, two opposing patriarchs were elected, representing the two parties (one pro-Catholic, the other anti-Catholic). Though this line of Catholic patriarchs ended in 1702, in 1782 the Syriac Orthodox Holy Synod elected Metropolitan Michael Jarweh of Aleppo as patriarch who, shortly after he was enthroned, declared himself Catholic and in unity with
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#17327720613327440-419: The Syriacs presides upon the Patriarchal Eparchy of Beirut and leads spiritually all the Syriac Catholic community around the world. The community includes two archdioceses in Iraq , four in Syria , one in Egypt and Sudan , a patriarchal vicariate in Palestine, a patriarchal vicariate in Turkey and the Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance in the United States and Canada . The Syriac Catholic Church
7560-430: The Syrian ( / ˈ iː f r əm , ˈ ɛ f r əm / ; c. 306 – 373 ), also known as Saint Ephrem , Saint Ephraim ( / ˈ iː f r i əm / ), Ephrem of Edessa or Aprem of Nisibis , was a prominent Christian theologian and writer who is revered as one of the most notable hymnographers of Eastern Christianity . He was born in Nisibis , served as a deacon and later lived in Edessa . Ephrem
7680-404: The West, despite firm and repeated papal confirmation of these Churches' universal character. The Second Vatican Council brought the reform impulse to visible fruition. Several documents, from both during and after the Second Vatican Council, have led to significant reform and development within Eastern Catholic Churches. The Second Vatican Council directed, in Orientalium Ecclesiarum , that
7800-399: The altar during moments in the epliclesis and words of institution when the priest says "he took and broke" and "this is my body/blood". The thurible of the Syriac Catholic Church consists of nine bells, representing the nine choirs of angels. The Liturgy of the Hours is exactly the same as in the Syriac Orthodox . There are two versions of this: the Phenqitho and the Shhimo. The former
7920-583: The ancient discipline of the sacraments existing in the Eastern churches, and the ritual practices connected with their celebration and administration, and declared its ardent desire that this should be re-established, if circumstances warranted (n. 12). It applied this in particular to administration of sacrament of Confirmation by priests (n. 13). It expressed the wish that, where the permanent diaconate (ordination as deacons of men who are not intended afterwards to become priests) had fallen into disuse, it should be restored (n. 17). Paragraphs 7–11 are devoted to
8040-434: The ancient hymns of the church are still maintained in this native tongue although several have been translated into Arabic , English , French and other languages. Syriac is still spoken in some few communities in eastern Syria and northern Iraq , but for most Arabic is the vernacular language. Throughout the history of the Syriac Church there have been many martyrs. A recent example is Flavianus Michael Malke during
8160-419: The ancient patriarchal churches, as parent-stocks of the Faith, so to speak, have begotten others as daughter churches, with which they are connected down to our own time by a close bond of charity in their sacramental life and in their mutual respect for their rights and duties. This variety of local churches with one common aspiration is splendid evidence of the catholicity of the undivided Church. In like manner
8280-502: The authorities of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches for approval and application," which stated that initiatives that "led to the union of certain communities with the See of Rome and brought with them, as a consequence, the breaking of communion with their Mother Churches of the East ... took place not without the interference of extra-ecclesial interests". Likewise the commission acknowledged that "certain civil authorities [who] made attempts" to force Eastern Catholics to return to
8400-400: The benefits of the Latin Church's 1917 Code of Canon Law were appreciated was a serious effort made to codify the Eastern Catholic Churches' canon laws. This came to fruition with the promulgation of the 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches , which took effect in 1991. It is a framework document that contains canons that are a consequence of the common patrimony of the churches of
8520-440: The birth of Jesus. One variety of the madrāšê, the soghyatha , was sung in a conversational style between male and female choirs. The women's choir would sing the role of biblical women, and the men's choir would sing the male role. Through the role of singing Ephrem's madrāšê, women's choirs were granted a role in worship. Ephrem also wrote verse homilies ( ܡܐܡܖ̈ܐ , mêmrê ). These sermons in poetry are far fewer in number than
8640-616: The community. Jacob of Nisibis is recorded as a signatory at the First Council of Nicea in 325. Ephrem was baptized as a youth and almost certainly became a son of the covenant , an unusual form of Syriac proto- monasticism . Jacob appointed Ephrem as a teacher (Syriac malp̄ānâ , a title that still carries great respect for Syriac Christians). He was ordained as a deacon either at his baptism or later. He began to compose hymns and write biblical commentaries as part of his educational office. In his hymns, he sometimes refers to himself as
8760-662: The context of cultural differences between the Greek-speaking East and Latin-speaking West, and of rivalry between the Churches in Rome—which claimed a primacy not merely of honour but also of authority—and in Constantinople , which claimed parity with Rome. The rivalry and lack of comprehension gave rise to controversies, some of which appear already in the acts of the Quinisext Council of 692. At
8880-714: The contrary, in their variety, according in one principle and vivified by it." Leo XIII declared still in force Pope Benedict XIV 's encyclical Demandatam , addressed to the Patriarch and the Bishops of the Melkite Catholic Church , in which Benedict XIV forbade Latin Church clergy to induce Melkite Catholics to transfer to the Roman Rite, and he broadened this prohibition to cover all Eastern Catholics, declaring: "Any Latin rite missionary, whether of
9000-607: The creation of the Ancient Church of the East . The Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara churches are the two Eastern Catholic descendants of the Church of the East in the Indian subcontinent. In 451, those who accepted the Council of Chalcedon similarly classified those who rejected it as Monophysite heretics. The Churches that refused to accept the Council considered instead that it was they who were orthodox; they reject
9120-409: The description Monophysite (meaning only-nature ) preferring instead Miaphysite (meaning one-nature ). The difference in terms may appear subtle, but it is theologically very important. "Monophysite" implies a single divine nature alone with no real human nature—a heretical belief according to Chalcedonian Christianity —whereas "Miaphysite" can be understood to mean one nature as God, existing in
9240-560: The earlier "modifications" is the statement that Ephrem's father was a pagan priest of Abnil or Abizal. However, internal evidence from his authentic writings suggest that he was raised by Christian parents. Ephrem is venerated as an example of monastic discipline in Eastern Christianity . In the Eastern Orthodox scheme of hagiography, Ephrem is counted as a Venerable Father (i.e., a sainted monk). His feast day
9360-494: The ecclesial communities which emerged in these historical circumstances have the right to exist and to undertake all that is necessary to meet the spiritual needs of their faithful, while seeking to live in peace with their neighbours. Orthodox and Greek Catholics are in need of reconciliation and of mutually acceptable forms of co–existence.' The 1996 Instruction for Applying the Liturgical Prescriptions of
9480-596: The faith". Most Eastern Catholic churches arose when a group within an ancient church in disagreement with the See of Rome returned to full communion with that see. The following churches have been in communion with the Bishop of Rome for a large part of their history: The canon law shared by all Eastern Catholic churches, CCEO , was codified in 1990. The dicastery that works with the Eastern Catholic churches
9600-469: The forum of Edessa. In 370 he visited Basil the Great at Caesarea, and then journeyed to the monks of Egypt. As he preached a panegyrie on St. Basil, who died in 379, his own death must be placed at a later date. After a ten-year residency in Edessa, in his sixties, Ephrem succumbed to the plague as he ministered to its victims. He died in 373. Ephrem wrote exclusively in his native Aramaic language , using
9720-462: The founder of the School of Nisibis , which, in later centuries, was the centre of learning of the Church of the East . Ephrem wrote a wide variety of hymns, poems, and sermons in verse, as well as prose exegesis . These were works of practical theology for the edification of the Church in troubled times. Some of these works have been examined by feminist scholars who have analyzed the incorporation of feminine imagery in his texts. They also examine
9840-464: The generation that accepted the custom of a double naming of their language not only as Aramaic ( Ārāmāyā ) but also as "Syriac" ( Suryāyā ), wrote a homily ( memrā ) dedicated to Ephrem, praising him as the crown or wreath of the Arameans ( Classical Syriac : ܐܳܪܳܡܳܝܘܬܐ ), and the same praise was repeated in early liturgical texts. Only later, under the Greek influence already prevalent in
9960-425: The heresies that threatened to divide the early church. He lamented that the faithful were "tossed to and fro and carried around with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness and deceitful wiles" (Eph 4:14). He devised hymns laden with doctrinal details to inoculate right-thinking Christians against heresies such as docetism . The Hymns Against Heresies employ colourful metaphors to describe
10080-494: The law by a hierarchy and expressly or tacitly recognized by the supreme authority of the Church as autonomous is in this Code called an autonomous Church (canon 27). When speaking of Eastern Catholic Churches, the Latin Church's 1983 Code of Canon Law (1983 CIC) uses the terms "ritual Church" or "ritual Church sui iuris " (canons 111 and 112), and also speaks of "a subject of an Eastern rite" (canon 1015 §2), "Ordinaries of another rite" (canon 450 §1), "the faithful of
10200-546: The local Edessan ( Urhaya ) dialect, that later came to be known as the Classical Syriac . Ephrem's works contain several endonymic (native) references to his language ( Aramaic ), homeland ( Aram ) and people ( Arameans ). He is therefore known as "the authentic voice of Aramaic Christianity". In the early stages of modern scholarly studies, it was believed that some examples of the long-standing Greek practice of labeling Aramaic as "Syriac", that are found in
10320-532: The madrāšê were sung by all-women choirs with an accompanying lyre. These women's choirs were composed of members of the Daughters of the Covenant, an important institution in historical Syriac Christianity , but they weren't always labeled as such. Ephrem, like many Syriac liturgical poets, believed that women's voices were important to hear in the church as they were modeled after Mary, mother of Jesus, whose acceptance of God's call led to salvation for all through
10440-576: The madrāšê. The mêmrê were written in a heptosyllabic couplets (pairs of lines of seven syllables each). The third category of Ephrem's writings is his prose work. He wrote a biblical commentary on the Diatessaron (the single gospel harmony of the early Syriac church), the Syriac original of which was found in 1957. His Commentary on Genesis and Exodus is an exegesis of Genesis and Exodus . Some fragments exist in Armenian of his commentaries on
10560-435: The miraculous salvation of the city in a hymn that portrayed Nisibis as being like Noah's Ark , floating to safety on the flood. One important physical link to Ephrem's lifetime is the baptistery of Nisibis. The inscription tells that it was constructed under Bishop Vologeses in 359. In that year, Shapur attacked again. The cities around Nisibis were destroyed one by one, and their citizens killed or deported. Constantius II
10680-470: The non-Latin liturgies was perceived toward the Latin-Rite liturgy which was considered " ritus praestantior ". This attitude may have led to interventions in the Eastern liturgical texts which today, in light of theological studies and progress, have need of revision, in the sense of a return to ancestral traditions. The work of the commissions, nevertheless, availing themselves of the best experts of
10800-469: The norms of the Western Christianity practiced by the majority Latin Church led to a degree of encroachment ( Latinization ) on some of the Eastern Catholic traditions. The Second Vatican Council document, Orientalium Ecclesiarum , built on previous reforms to reaffirm the right of Eastern Catholics to maintain their distinct practices. The 1990 Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
10920-684: The origins of Christianity in the Orient ; in the Acts of the Apostles we are told that it is in Antioch where the followers of Jesus for the first time were called "Christians" (Acts 11:26). In the time of the first ecumenical councils , the Patriarch of Antioch held the ecclesiastical authority over the Diocese of the Orient , which was to be extended from the Mediterranean Sea to
11040-399: The other of heresy or departure from the true faith ( orthodoxy ). Communion has been broken also because of disagreement about questions of authority or the legitimacy of the election of a particular bishop. In these latter cases each side accused the other of schism , but not of heresy. The following ecumenical councils are major breaches of communion: In 431, the churches that accepted
11160-635: The other peoples of the world, no matter how far-flung. When blessed Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, intended to cast down the manifold wickedness of error and vice, in accord with the will of Heaven, he brought the light of divine Truth, the Gospel of peace, freedom in Christ to the metropolis of the Gentiles. Adrian Fortescue wrote that Leo XIII "begins by explaining again that the ancient Eastern rites are
11280-595: The others, went first to Amida ( Diyarbakır ), eventually settling in Edessa (Urhay, in Aramaic) in 363. Ephrem, in his late fifties, applied himself to ministry in his new church and seems to have continued his work as a teacher, perhaps in the School of Edessa . Edessa had been an important center of the Aramaic-speaking world, and the birthplace of a specific Middle Aramaic dialect that came to be known as
11400-496: The performance practice of all-women choirs singing his madrāšê, or his teaching hymns. Ephrem's works were so popular that, for centuries after his death, Christian authors wrote hundreds of pseudepigraphal works in his name. He has been called the most significant of all of the fathers of the Syriac -speaking church tradition. In Syriac Christian tradition, he is considered patron of the Syriac Aramaic people. Ephrem
11520-479: The person of Jesus who is both human and divine—an idea more easily reconciled to Chalcedonian doctrine. They are often called, in English, Oriental Orthodox Churches , to distinguish them from the Eastern Orthodox Churches . This distinction, by which the words oriental and eastern that in themselves have exactly the same meaning but are used as labels to describe two different realities,
11640-463: The powers of the patriarchs and major archbishops of the Eastern Churches, whose rights and privileges, it says, should be re-established in accordance with the ancient tradition of each of the Churches and the decrees of the ecumenical councils , adapted somewhat to modern conditions. Where there is need, new patriarchates should be established either by an ecumenical council or by the Bishop of Rome. The Second Vatican Council's Dogmatic Constitution on
11760-573: The real Ephrem the Syrian), as if it was by a single author. This is not the case, but the term is used for convenience. Some texts are in fact Greek translations of genuine works by Ephrem. Most are not. The best known of these writings is the Prayer of Saint Ephrem , which is recited at every service during Great Lent and other fasting periods in Eastern Christianity . There are also works by "Ephrem" in Latin , Slavonic and Arabic . "Ephrem Latinus"
11880-496: The recent times, even in scholarly literature, as a consequence of several methodological problems within the field of source editing. During the process of critical editing and translation of sources within Syriac studies , some scholars have practiced various forms of arbitrary (and often unexplained) interventions, including the occasional disregard for the importance of original terms, used as endonymic (native) designations for Arameans and their language (ārāmāyā). Such disregard
12000-580: The region of Nisibis included local polytheism , Judaism and several varieties of the Early Christianity . Most of the population spoke the Aramaic language , while Greek and Latin were languages of administration. The city had a complex ethnic composition, consisting of "Assyrians, Arabs, Greeks, Jews, Parthians, Romans, and Iranians". Jacob , the second bishop of Nisibis, was appointed in 308, and Ephrem grew up under his leadership of
12120-481: The secular or religious clergy, who induces with his advice or assistance any Eastern rite faithful to transfer to the Latin rite, will be deposed and excluded from his benefice in addition to the ipso facto suspension a divinis and other punishments that he will incur as imposed in the aforesaid Constitution Demandatam ." There had been confusion on the part of Western clergy about the legitimate presence of Eastern Catholic Churches in countries seen as belonging to
12240-582: The source. Even when noticed and corrected by some scholars, such replacements of terms continue to create problems for others. Several translations of his writings exist in Classical Armenian , Coptic , Old Georgian , Koine Greek and other languages. Some of his works are extant only in translation (particularly in Armenian). Over four hundred hymns composed by Ephrem still exist. Granted that some have been lost, Ephrem's productivity
12360-749: The teaching of the Council of Ephesus (which condemned the views of Nestorius ) classified as heretics those who rejected the council's statements. The Church of the East , which was mainly under the Sassanid Empire , never accepted the council's views. It later experienced a period of great expansion in Asia before collapsing after the Mongol invasion of the Middle East in the 14th century. Monuments of their presence still exist in China. Now they are relatively few in number and have divided into three churches:
12480-482: The term "rite" continues to be used. The 1983 CIC forbids a Latin bishop to ordain, without permission of the Holy See, a subject of his who is "of an Eastern rite " (not "who uses an Eastern rite ", the faculty for which is sometimes granted to Latin clergy). The term Uniat or Uniate has been applied to Eastern Catholic churches and individual members whose church hierarchies were previously part of Eastern Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox churches. The term
12600-484: The times, succeeded in safeguarding a major part of the Eastern heritage, often defending it against aggressive initiatives and publishing precious editions of liturgical texts for numerous Eastern Churches. Today, particularly after the solemn declarations of the Apostolic Letter Orientalium dignitas by Leo XIII, after the creation of the still active special Commission for the liturgy within
12720-572: The title of Patriarch of Antioch and all the East of the Syriacs and resides in Beirut , Lebanon . Jesuit and Capuchin missionaries began to work among the Syriac Orthodox in Aleppo in 1626. So many of them were received into communion with Rome that, in 1662, when the patriarchate had fallen vacant, the Catholic party was able to elect one of its own, Andrew Akijan , as patriarch of
12840-548: The traditions of Eastern Catholic Churches should be maintained. It declared that "it is the mind of the Catholic Church that each individual Church or Rite should retain its traditions whole and entire and likewise that it should adapt its way of life to the different needs of time and place" (n. 2), and that they should all "preserve their legitimate liturgical rite and their established way of life, and ... these may not be altered except to obtain for themselves an organic improvement" (n. 6; cf. n. 22). It confirmed and approved
12960-428: The works of the middle fifth century author Theodoret of Cyrus , did it became customary to associate Ephrem with Syriac identity, and label him only as "the Syrian" ( Koinē Greek : Ἐφραίμ ὁ Σῦρος ), thus blurring his Aramaic self-identification , attested by his own writings and works of other Aramaic-speaking writers, and also by examples from the earliest liturgical tradition. Some of those problems persisted up to
13080-459: Was Hymns on the Nativity , centered around Mary, which contained 28 hymns and had the clearest pervasive theme of Ephrem's hymn cycles. An example of feminine imagery is found when Ephrem writes of the baby Jesus: "he was lofty but he sucked Mary's milk and from his blessings all creation sucks." Particularly influential were his Hymns Against Heresies . Ephrem used these to warn his flock of
13200-637: Was patriarch of Antioch , wrote that "no Latin should be given Communion unless he first declares that he will abstain from the doctrines and customs that separate him from us". Later in 1204, Constantinople was sacked by the Catholic armies of the Fourth Crusade , whereas two decades previously the Massacre of the Latins (i.e., Catholics) had occurred in Constantinople in 1182. Thus, by
13320-600: Was a suitable tool to use against their claims. The madrāšê are gathered into various hymn cycles. Each group has a title — Carmina Nisibena , On Faith , On Paradise , On Virginity , Against Heresies — but some of these titles do not do justice to the entirety of the collection (for instance, only the first half of the Carmina Nisibena is about Nisibis). Some of these hymn cycles provide implicit insight into Ephrem's perceived level of comfort with incorporating feminine imagery into his writings. One such hymn cycle
13440-479: Was born around the year 306 in the city of Nisibis (modern Nusaybin , Turkey ), in the Roman province of Mesopotamia , that was recently acquired by the Roman Empire . Internal evidence from Ephrem's hymnody suggests that both his parents were part of the growing Christian community in the city, although later hagiographers wrote that his father was a pagan priest. In those days, religious culture in
13560-519: Was enthroned, he declared himself Catholic and in unity with the pope of Rome. After this declaration, Jarweh took refuge in Lebanon and built the still-extant monastery of Our Lady at Sharfeh , and by that act became the patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church. Since Jarweh, there has been an unbroken succession of Syriac Catholic patriarchs , which is known as the Ignatius Line. In 1829
13680-460: Was formally united with the Holy See of Rome in 1781. As of 2010 the church was estimated to have 159,000 faithful, 10 bishoprics, 85 parishes, 106 secular priests, 12 religious-order priests, 102 men and women in religious orders, 11 permanent deacons and 31 seminarians. The West Syriac Rite is rooted in the old tradition of both the churches of Jerusalem and Antioch and has ties with the ancient Jewish Berakah. The Syriac Catholic Church follows
13800-480: Was in that part of the world that the first actions for the redemption of the human race began, in accord with the all-kind plan of God. They swiftly gave forth their yield: there flowered in first blush the glories of preaching the True Faith to the nations, of martyrdom, and of holiness. They gave us the first joys of the fruits of salvation. From them has come a wondrously grand and powerful flood of benefits upon
13920-524: Was manifested primarily in translations and commentaries, by replacement of authentic terms with polysemic Syrian/Syriac labels. In previously mentioned memrā , dedicated to Ephrem, one of the terms for Aramean people ( Classical Syriac : ܐܳܪܳܡܳܝܘܬܐ / Arameandom) was published correctly in original script of the source, but in the same time it was translated in English as "Syriac nation" , and then enlisted among quotations related to "Syrian/Syriac" identity, without any mention of Aramean-related terms in
14040-513: Was no push to unify until a decree of union between the Syriac Orthodox and Rome was signed at the Council of Florence September 30, 1444 – but the effects of this decree were rapidly annulled by opponents of it in the Syriac Church's hierarchy. A Jesuit and Capuchin missionaries evangelizing in Aleppo caused some local Syriac Orthodox faithful to form a pro-catholic movement within the Syriac Orthodox Church. In 1667, Andrew Akijan ,
14160-560: Was seriously wounded but recovered. Eastern Catholic Churches Schools Relations with: The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches , also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches , Eastern Rite Catholicism , or simply the Eastern Churches , are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous ( sui iuris ) particular churches of the Catholic Church , in full communion with
14280-424: Was the first codified body of canon law governing the Eastern Catholic Churches collectively, although each church also has its own internal canons and laws on top of this. Members of Eastern Catholic churches are obliged to follow the norms of their particular church regarding celebration of church feasts, marriage, and other customs. Notable distinct norms include many Eastern Catholic Churches regularly allowing
14400-409: Was unable to respond; the campaign of Julian in 363 ended with his death in battle. His army elected Jovian as the new emperor, and to rescue his army, he was forced to surrender Nisibis to Persia (also in 363) and to permit the expulsion of the entire Christian population. Ephrem declined being ordinated a bishop by feigning madness , because he regarded himself unworthy for it. Ephrem, with
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