The Deacon

Many Catholics are surprised to learn that one of the greatest theologians and early Doctors of the Church was not only Eastern but also a deacon.

St. Ephrem the Syrian (A.D. 306-73) was born in Nisibis which was in the Syrian region of the Roman Empire that is now in Turkey. Ephrem grew up during the legalization of Christianity in the empire by St. Constantine the Great and his Edict of Milan (313). His devout mother taught Ephrem the Christian faith, but he had a somewhat mischievous and irresponsible personality and, at one point, ended up briefly in prison. Determined to turn his life around after the appearance of an angel chastising him in a dream, he went to his holy monastic bishop, St. Jacob of Nisibis, and asked for spiritual guidance. This holy spiritual father who later attended the Council of Nicea in 325 was known as the “Moses of Mesopotamia” and began to tutor the young penitent and guided him to embrace the monastic way of conversion and asceticism, living as a monastic within the local Church and participating in the liturgical life of the community.

Over time, Ephrem demonstrated a great facility for theological writing, especially through hymnography and poetry. It is believed that throughout his life the saintly deacon composed not only great prose commentaries on Scripture, as well as works of apologetics, but thousands of hymns, poems and versicle homilies called memre that seemed to almost breathe with the very Spirit of God, and were especially rich in biblical language and imagery. The native language of Ephrem and his people was Aramaic, which was the native tongue of Our Lord, the Virgin Mary and the apostles.

Living in Nisibis, Ephrem was greatly familiar with many of the devout Jews and rabbis living in the area and the biblical and extra-biblical writings, such as the Targumim (Aramaic biblical translations) and midrashim (homilies). His works also reflect his Mesopotamian heritage and some of the local Greek Christian influence, although it is likely that he never read or spoke Greek. All three patrimonies find a point of convergence in the saintly deacon who gave voice to a rich tapestry of theology on the topics of the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Virgin Mary, faith, the sacramental mysteries and the Church, especially meant for the use by choirs and the faithful in the liturgy.

Ephrem’s particular style of monasticism, which was growing in Syria and differed from the Egyptian style insofar as the former was embedded within the local congregations of the Church, kept him close to both his bishop and the faithful whom he served, in addition to his proto-monastic community known as “the Sons and Daughters of the Covenant.” His bishop and spiritual father opened up a theological school in Nisibis, with Ephrem serving as an influential catechist and theologian among the Syrian Christians in the region, and this continued even after a military defeat of the Romans by the Persians in the area led to the relocation of the Christians, the Church, and the now famous theological school to the vibrant and devoutly Christian city of Edessa. It was here that Ephrem was ordained a deacon, and here he served the local Church through a bold and beautiful ministry of word, worship and charity. At several points during famine and plague, his charitable labors were well known, distributing food to the poor and caring for the sick and infected. Eventually, he became a victim of the plague himself and fell asleep in the Lord in A.D. 373.

St. Ephrem was renowned for his holiness as a teacher of prayer and dispenser of great wisdom to the faithful, but he is best known today for his theological works and liturgical influences, especially in the worship of Syrian, Armenian and Greek Christian churches. His use of beauty to reveal great mysteries and truth even while opposing certain heresies of his time was renowned, and many have referred to him as the “Harp of the Spirit.” One well-known prayer used during penitential seasons in the Greek or Byzantine East is prayed daily during Lent: “O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power and idle chatter. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to your servant. Yes, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother, for blessed art you, unto ages of ages. Amen.”

The devout deacon St. Ephrem was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV. His feast is celebrated in the Churches of East and West at various times during the year. St. Ephrem, pray to God for us!

FATHER DANIEL DOZIER is co-founder and chief learning officer for The Center for InMinistry Development and an associate professor of Scripture and Catholic leadership, www.inministrydevelopment.com.