Saint Ephrem was a Christian theologian and writer born in 306 AD in Nisibis, at the border of Syria and Turkey. He was baptized as a youth in 359 and grew up under the leadership of Bishop Jacob of Nisibis.
After he was ordained as a deacon, Ephrem began to write biblical commentaries and compose hymns as part of his educational office. He often referred to his bishop as the “shepherd”, himself as a “herdsman” and to his community as a ‘fold’.
In 337, when Emperor Constantine I, who had legalised and promoted the practice of Christianity in the Roman Empire, died, Shapur II of Persia began a series of attacks into Roman North Mesopotamia. Nisibis was besieged in 338, 346 and 350. 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 the miraculous salvation of the city in a hymn that portrayed Nisibis as being like Noah's Ark, floating to safety on the flood.
Saint Ephrem wrote over four hundred hymns which are still in existence. He started writing hymns in order to counteract the heresies that were rampant at that time. Pope Benedict XV proclaimed him as a Doctor of the Church (“Doctor of the Syrians”) on October 5, 1920, acknowledging his Theological as well as literary contributions to the church.
In 359, when Shapur attacked again, the cities around Nisibis were destroyed one by one, and their citizens either killed or deported. Ephrem, with the others, went first to Amida, eventually settling down in Edessa in 363.
During the famine that hit Edessa in 372, Ephrem learned that some citizens were hoarding food. He confronted them, and along with his helpers, worked diligently to distribute the food to the needy. He was so respected in the society that no one was able to argue with this choice.
On June 9, 373, after living for ten years in Edessa, Ephrem died due to plague as he took care of the plague victims. His tomb is in the Armenian monastery in Der Serkis, west of Edessa, Turkey.
Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Baithin
2. Saint Columba
3. Saint Jose de Anchieta
4. Saint Julian
5. Saint Richard of Andria
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