§ 133. Ефрем – духовный песнопевец.

“A warrior of Christ, clothed with the whole armor of Christ,” this is what an ancient biographer writes about St. Ephraim, opened war against the enemies of Christ, especially against the wickedness of Bardesan and his followers. Ephraim saw how much the Edessians were captivated by music and singing, and decided to distract them from dishonest songs. He gathered the virgins of vows and taught them songs and singing alternately (in the choirs); these songs contained songs about the Nativity of Christ, about Baptism, about fasting, about the whole dispensation of salvation in Christ, about suffering, about the Resurrection, about the Ascension to heaven; He added other hymns to them - about martyrs, about repentance, about the dead. Thus, by His order, the virgins of vows flocked to the church on the Lord’s bright holidays, also on the feasts of martyrs and on Sundays: He, as the Father and as the leading spirit, stood among them, assigned them different songs, and taught them alternate singing, until, finally, the whole city began to gather to Him and the enemies scattered. “Who would not be amazed, who would not be filled with jealousy, watching how the warrior of Christ stands among the choir of vowed virgins and they sing sweet, high songs, like angels?” 452. This ancient news is partly confirmed by the writings of Ephraim himself. At the end of his hymn 65 about faith, the words are read: “17 hymns, composed in imitation of the songs of Bardesan, have ended” 453. Sozomen 454 and Theodoret 455 say that St. Ephraim composed his songs according to the melodies of the song Harmony by the student Vardesanov, or what is also according to the sizes of those songs. Eastern news also shows 456. – It is more than likely that the heresy of the Messalians, the internal “prayer books”, was strong under St. Ephraim in Mesopotamia, and which so degraded external worship, also forced St. Ephraim to attend to the arrangement of church services. “They say, writes St. Theophan about St. Ephraim, that this truly godly wise man wrote up to 300,000 poems” 457. We have already said that the dogmatic writings of St. Ephraim is written in verse. In addition, the following are now known: 1) Hymns for the Nativity of Christ 458. They are particularly solemn. In one of them, the singer, inviting heaven and earth to glorify the incarnate Son of God, arranges his praises according to the years of the Savior’s earthly life 459. This song is used by Syrian Christians in church 460. The very songs of Ephraim speak of their church use 461. 2) One song about the suffering and Resurrection of Christ is now known 462. But there are no songs for the Lord’s other feasts (Epiphany, Ascension, other feasts), just as there are no songs about fasting, and there are no songs for the martyrs, about whom the ancient Syrian biography and Theodoret speak. 3) “Songs about the Dead” is intact. Odes - Midrash, chants - Kolya and poems - Mamre about the dead are generally called services about the dead by Syrian writers. – In poetic terms, these are the best song creations of the reverend. Among the 49 midrashes, they glorify the death of bishops, elders, deacons, clergy, or monks, infants, fathers or mothers of families. Singings - kola, 31 in total, are placed among the Syrians in the church service about the dead in the weekly service. The verses are 15 in number, the first of which is about the bishop. About all the songs for the dead, it should be noted that a) they were written especially against Aetius, who rejected prayers for the dead. The songs of St. Ephraim makes it clear that the commemoration of the dead has been part of the church service since ancient times. – Here are his songs: “Remember me, my brothers and friends, for the sake of God, who separated me from you. When your congregation stands at the service: let your prayer come and shake off the dust from my eyes” 463. “Your hymns, my brothers, on the day of my death, may they carry praise to heaven along with the Angels” 464. “We all offer a prayer to the common Lord God, that he may place you in a blessed abode” 465. b) In the same songs, the monk teaches that prayers and acts of mercy performed by the living for the dead are beneficial to the deceased 466. c) In songs about a bishop, priest, and deacon, the monk depicts together examples of faithful service in the sacred rank. 4) The saint’s repentant songs breathe deep contrition. At the end of the last song of repentance, he says: “The fruit of Your grace, O Lord, which has come from my spirit serves in Your house before You, as Samuel served” 467 . It is clear that the monk himself designated his songs of repentance for church use. History also speaks of their use among Syrian Christians 468 . In general, the hymns of St. Ephraim are divided into the following types: 1) Mamre Heb. imra - measured speeches, almost always seven-footed, without division into stanzas, close to Greek. Odam, contain reflections on the mysteries of faith. 3) Tsalluto and Buto – measured prayers. 4) Tetbehati, Heb. shivah - praise, songs of praise in honor of the saints; 5) Unioto, Heb. enut – antiphonal hymns. 6) Kole, – Heb. kolem, singing with a preceding verse from the psalms; 7) Masmure, Heb. mis mor - psalms; Seoloto – degrees, songs of degrees. – These types of songs indicate partly the content and form of the songs, partly their use during worship 469. In Asseman's Bibl. or. 1, 47. Op. Syr. S. Ephr. T. 1, p. LI–LIII. Further, the biography writer also says: “About the same time he published a story about Nisibiya, about Mar-Jacob, about the imp. Constantine, about the disasters of his time, about the devastation of the environs of Nisibia; to this he added the story of Salomonia and her sons (the Maccabees), Simon, Guria and Aviv, and the story of Julian and his persecution of the bishops.” Unfortunately, all these measured stories or songs, like some of the above, are now unknown. Προς τα μελη των εκεινων γραμματων, κατα νομον της Ἀρμόνιου ὧδῆς. N. E. 3, 16. “Since Harmonius, the son (disciple) of Bardesan, composed some songs, and by the fact that he clothed wickedness with the pleasantness of melodies, attracted listeners and led to destruction; then he (Efrem) took the melody from those songs, united them with pious thoughts.... And even now these songs add solemnity and joy to the holidays of the victorious martyrs.” N. E. 6, 26. Sl. de haeretic. fabul. With. 22. Bar-Jew: “after the Nicene Council of St. Ephraim began to compose hymns and odes against the errors of his time.” In Asseman V.O. 1, 166. Also Sir. Church East. he has 1.48. Chronogr. Theoph. ed. Paris. 1653. p. 54. Op. Syr, 2, 396–485 3, 209. Creativity. St. Ephraim 6, 302–368. Op. Syr. 3, 603. Creativity. 6, 369. Song 3, 6, 49. Op. Syr. 3, 225–289. Song 40 pp. 24–25. See also canticle 16 p. 54, canticle 17 p. 56, canticle 18 p. 57, canticle 19 p. 63, canticle 20 p. 63 canticle 21 p. 66, canticle 30 p. 85. In Asseman V.O. 1, 138–139. Augusti. de hymnis Syrorum sacris, p.9. Hahn. Bardesones gnostiens. p. 43–50. You might be interested in: