Songs for the Fast and Pascha

Author(s)

• Ephraem, Syrus, Saint
• Falconer, Joshua
• Hartung, Blake
• Walters, J. Edward

Bibliographic Information

Songs for the Fast and Pascha

St. Ephrem the Syrian ; translated by Joshua Falconer, Blake Hartung, and J. Edward Walters

（The fathers of the church, a new translation, 145）

Catholic University of America Press, c2022

Other Title

Poems

Note

"J. Edward Walters' revised translation of the Teaching songs on the unleavened bread is printed in this volume by the kind cooperation of Gorgias Press"--T.p. verso

Summary: "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

Translated from Classical Syriac

Bibliography: p. xi-xvi

Includes indexes

Description and Table of Contents

Description

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 madrase ("teaching songs") especially prominent. This volume presents English translations of four complete madrase 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.

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

• NCID: BD00697785
• ISBN:
  • 9780813235738
• LCCN: 2022044025
• Country Code: us
• Title Language Code: eng
• Text Language Code: eng
• Original Language Code: syc
• Place of Publication: Washington, D.C.
• Pages/Volumes: xvi, 323 p.
• Size: 22 cm
• Classification:
  • LCC : PJ5671.E7
  • DC23 : 892/.3
• Subject Headings:
  • LCSH : Christian poetry, Syriac -- Translations into English
  • LCSH : Hymns, Syriac -- Translations into English
• Parent Bibliography ID:
  • BA00673151