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.
"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"--
