Question about St. Ephrem the Syrian

ethiotewahedo

+++

In the Name of the Living Lord, Amen!

Okay, I came back with another question. I really am enjoying the privilege offered to my generation by the 21st Century to investigate whatever they want by meeting with the PEOPLE THEMSELVES!! Thanks tasbeha!!

This is my other question. How is the work of St. Ephrem received by the Coptic Church? Specifically, the hymns he wrote for Holy Mother Mary to be prayed on each days of the week? (we call it "wudassie Maryam"- "Prayer of praise to Mary")

Is the prayer known at all? And if yes, how widely is it used by the ordinary Christians? Is it prayed during the Mass? Or just personally? Is it prayed simply by reading or in a form of singing?

Thanks in advance!

Tewahedo

jydeacon

St. Ephraim is a saint in our church and in fact we have some of his relics in deir el souryan(known as the famous syrian monastary with the door of prophecies), which is St. Mary's monastary in wadi el natron where anba pishoy's cell is(as well as his monastary right next to this monastary). As far as his works are concerned I have not personally read anything of him but i know we do accept him as a saint so i would presume his works are accepted as well. I've never heard of this prayer, but could it be similar to the doxologies? If not then i doubt we use these prayers.

socoolbishoy

saint Ephraim is a saint accepted by the Coptic church... hence his work and writings are also accepted, if not liturgical then for spiritual gain!

we do have a daily Theotokia which is a daily glorification to Saint Mary, and that is said in the midnight prayer/praise and it is sung with a special tune depending on the day!


I took the blessing... thank God!

ethiotewahedo

+++

Okay, jydeacon and Superman,

Thank you. Yes, I think it is the daily theotokia that I am talking about.

I was interested in asking the commentaries on the daily theotokia  and the liturgy of St. Mary, which were widely read and prayed for two weeks of the fasting of St. Mary, which ended a week ago. I found out that the liturgy part is banned.

However, since the daily theotokia tradition is still existing, what I would like to know is whether its commentary also exists. If it doesn't, then my inquiry is over.

Ethiotewahedo

jydeacon

The only commentaries to the theotokia's i know of are the madee7at of kiahk(which aren't really commentaries but they are explanations of the theotokias in a way) But those aren't very reliable and have many mistakes(such as the explanation of teoi enhikanos, amda7 fel batool(I praise the virgin)) Which states that Zephaniah proclaims that the He will come as rain without due, Zephaniah the prophet never said that, so its hard to trust these types of commentaries, I myself would actually like to see commentaries on them if anyone knows of any i would love to see them as well.

God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness

ethiotewahedo

[quote author=jydeacon link=topic=8285.msg105811#msg105811 date=1251385854]
The only commentaries to the theotokia's i know of are the madee7at of kiahk(which aren't really commentaries but they are explanations of the theotokias in a way) But those aren't very reliable and have many mistakes(such as the explanation of teoi enhikanos, amda7 fel batool(I praise the virgin)) Which states that Zephaniah proclaims that the He will come as rain without due, Zephaniah the prophet never said that, so its hard to trust these types of commentaries, I myself would actually like to see commentaries on them if anyone knows of any i would love to see them as well.

God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness


Okay, thanks jy. I expected that because if it is not widely used, then there will be no interest in closely investigating.

By the way, who wrote the commentary? Is its source known?

And for which day of prayer (and if you know, paragraph) was this comment given? (I didn't understand some of the phrases u wrote; probably u mentioned it already)

Tewahedo

jydeacon

The authors of most of the madee7at are not known, I know that for vesper praise madee7at the author was a cantor named Sarkis who would put his name in the hymn in some way. Oh im sorry, Madee7a=explanation specific to a hymn. and amdah fel batol=i praise the virgin. Teoi enhikanos is coptic for You are more worthy, which is part of the sunday theotokia.

ethiotewahedo

[quote author=jydeacon link=topic=8285.msg105814#msg105814 date=1251386813]
The authors of most of the madee7at are not known, I know that for vesper praise madee7at the author was a cantor named Sarkis who would put his name in the hymn in some way. Oh im sorry, Madee7a=explanation specific to a hymn. and amdah fel batol=i praise the virgin. Teoi enhikanos is coptic for You are more worthy, which is part of the sunday theotokia.


I think we are talking about different things.

Here is what I am talking about, and the writer is Ephrem the Syrian.

http://tewahedo.org/WedaseMariam.pdf

I think it is not known and used widely in COC. So, I can't present my question about it.

Thanks for your help though!

Tewahedo

jydeacon

Actually we are, I was referring to one of the known authors of vesper praise madee7a's whose name was sarkis, Also what you have is very similar to our sunday theotokia which is said every saturday night which can be found here: http://tasbeha.org/hymn_library/view/476

i however don't know where i would find the commentaries sorry.

ethiotewahedo

[quote author=jydeacon link=topic=8285.msg105826#msg105826 date=1251399622]
Actually we are, I was referring to one of the known authors of vesper praise madee7a's whose name was sarkis, Also what you have is very similar to our sunday theotokia which is said every saturday night which can be found here: http://tasbeha.org/hymn_library/view/476

i however don't know where i would find the commentaries sorry.


I got you now.

Thanks!