Songs for the Fast and Pascha (Fathers of the Church Patristic Series)

Among the writers of the Syriac Christian tradition, none is as renowned as St. Ephrem of Nisibis (ca. 307–373), known to much of the later Christian world simply as "the Syrian." The great majority of Ephrem's works are poetry, with the madrāšē ("teaching songs") especially prominent. This volume presents English translations of four complete madrāšē cycles of Ephrem: On the Fast, On the Unleavened Bread, On the Crucifixion , and On the Resurrection . These collections include some of the most liturgically oriented songs in Ephrem's corpus, and, as such, provide a window into the celebration of Lent and Easter in the Syriac-speaking churches of northern Mesopotamia in the fourth century. Even more significantly, they represent some of the oldest surviving poetry composed for these liturgical seasons in the entire Christian tradition. Not only are the liturgical occasions of the springtime months a source of colorful imagery in these texts, but Ephrem also employs traditional motifs of warm weather, spring rainstorms, and revived vegetation, which likely reflect Hellenistic literary influences. Like all of Ephrem's poetry, these songs express early Christian theology in language that is symbolic, terse, and vibrant. They are rich with biblical allusions and references, especially to the Exodus and Passion narratives. They also reveal a contested religious environment in which Ephrem strove to promote the Christian Pascha and Christian interpretations of Scripture over and against those of Jewish communities in the region, thus maintaining firm boundaries around the identity and practices of the churches. Contents Abbreviations Select Bibliography Introduction Teaching Songs on the Holy Fast On the Holy Fast 1 On the Holy Fast 2 On the Holy Fast 3 On the Holy Fast 4 On the Holy Fast 5 On the Holy Fast 6 On the Holy Fast 7 On the Holy Fast 8 On the Holy Fast 9 On the Holy Fast 10 Teaching Songs on the Crucifixion On the Crucifixion 1 On the Crucifixion 2 On the Crucifixion 3 On the Crucifixion 4 On the Crucifixion 5 On the Crucifixion 6 On the Crucifixion 7 On the Crucifixion 8 On the Crucifixion 9 Teaching Songs on the Resurrection On the Resurrection 1 On the Resurrection 2 On the Resurrection 3 On the Resurrection 4 On the Resurrection 5 Teaching Songs on the Unleavened Bread On the Unleavened Bread 1 On the Unleavened Bread 2 On the Unleavened Bread 3 On the Unleavened Bread 4 On the Unleavened Bread 5 On the Unleavened Bread 6 [On the Unleavened Bread 8?] [On the Unleavened Bread 9?] On the Unleavened Bread 12 On the Unleavened Bread 13 On the Unleavened Bread 14 On the Unleavened Bread 15 On the Unleavened Bread 16 On the Unleavened Bread 17 On the Unleavened Bread 18 On the Unleavened Bread 19 On the Unleavened Bread 20 On the Unleavened Bread 21 Indices General Index Inex of Holy Scripture Recent Volumes in the Fathers of the Church Series "The ancient author of these poems (teaching songs) is St. Ephrem the Syrian (ca. 307-373), a native of the city of Nisibis in Mesopotamia, who became the Christian bishop of Edessa (Urfa in modern Turkey). The original language is classical Syriac. This volume presents English translations of four complete cycles of St. Ephrem's teaching songs: On the Holy Fast, On the Unleavened Bread, On the Crucifixion, and On the Resurrection. These liturgically oriented songs provide information about the celebration of Lent and Easter (Pascha) in the Syriac-speaking churches of northern Mesopotamia in the fourth century. Also they represent some of the oldest surviving poetry composed for these liturgical seasons, expressing ancient Christian theology in symbolic language that is rich in biblical allusions"-- Provided by publisher Among the writers of the Syriac Christian tradition, none is as renowned as St. Ephrem of Nisibis (ca 307-373). The great majority of Ephrem's works are poetry, with the madrase ('teaching songs') especially prominent. This volume presents English translations of four complete madrase cycles of Ephrem.