[Rank]
S. Ephraem Syri Confessoris et Ecclesiae Doctoris;;Duplex;;3;;vide C5a

[RankNewcal]
S. Ephraem Syri Confessoris et Ecclesiae Doctoris;;Duplex optional;;2;;vide C5a

[Name]
Ephrem

[Rule]
vide C5a;
9 lectiones

[Oratio]
O God, who didst will to illumine thy Church by the wondrous learning and glorious merits of blessed Ephrem, thy Confessor and Doctor, do thou, we humbly entreat thee, by his intercession and thy continual power, defend her against the wiles of heresy and wickedness.
$Per Dominum

[Commemoratio]
!Commemoration for SS. Mark and Marcellianus, Martyrs
@Commune/C3:Oratio proper
$Oremus
O Almighty God, grant, we beseech thee, that we who do keep the Birthday of thine Holy Martyrs Mark and Marcellian, may through their prayers be delivered from all evils which do presently hang over us.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio4]
Ephraem was of Syrian descent, and son of a citizen of Nisibis. While yet a young man he went to the holy bishop James, by whom he was baptized, and he soon made such progress in holiness and learning as to be appointed master of a flourishing school at Nisibis, a city of Mesopotamia. After the death of the bishop James, Nisibis was captured by the Persians, and Ephraem went to Edessa. Here he settled first on the mountain among the monks, and then, that he might avoid the great numbers of men who flocked to him, he adopted the eremitical life. He was ordained deacon of the Church of Edessa, but refused the priesthood out of humility. He was conspicuous with the splendour of every virtue and strove to acquire piety and religion by professing true wisdom. He placed all his hope in God alone, despised all human and transitory things, and always longed for the divine and eternal.

[Lectio5]
When, led by the Spirit of God, he went to Caesarea in Cappadocia, there he saw Basil, that mouthpiece of the Church, and both enjoyed mutual companionship in a suitable manner. In order to refute the countless errors which were rife at that time, and which were troubling the Church of God, and in order to expound zealously the divine mysteries of our Lord Jesus Christ, he wrote many studies in Syrian, almost all of which have been translated into Greek. St. Jerome beareth witness that he attained such fame, that his writings were read publicly in certain churches after the reading from the Scriptures.

[Lectio6]
His works taken as a whole, so infused with the bright light of learning, brought it about that this holy man, while yet alive, was held in great honour, and was even considered a Doctor of the Church. He also composed songs in verse, in honour of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saints, and for this reason he was appropriately named by the Syrians the Harp of the Holy Ghost. He was noted for his great and tender devotion towards the Immaculate Virgin. He died, rich in merits, at Edessa in Mesopotamia on the 18th day of June in the reign of Valens. Pope Benedict XV, at the instance of many Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, and religious communities, declared him by a decree of the Congregation of Sacred Rites to be a Doctor of the universal Church.

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
!Matt 5:13-19
At that time: Jesus said unto His disciples: Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted. And so on.
_
Homily of St. Ephrem of Syria Deacon
!Sermo de vita et exercitatione monastica
Clearly it is a good thing to begin and to accomplish, to be acceptable to God and useful to one's neighbour, to please our most high and gracious ruler, Christ Jesus, who saith: Ye are the salt of the earth and the pillars of the heavens. The burden of your affliction, dearly beloved, is as a sleep; then there followeth unspeakable and priceless rest from labour. Therefore, watch thyself carefully, so that while thou followest after neither, wholeheartedly, thou shouldst not lose both the present and the eternal joy. Study rather to attain to the perfect virtue, adorned and stamped by all that God loveth. If thou dost strive after this, thou wilt never either anger God nor injure thy neighbour.

[Lectio8]
Moreover this virtue is called special and singular, having within itself the beauty of different virtues. We cannot have a royal diadem without precious stones and gleaming pearls arranged and fitted together; so likewise this single virtue cannot remain without the splendour of other different virtues. For it is, indeed, most like a kingly crown. For as in the latter case, if one stone or one pearl be missing it cannot shine perfectly upon the royal head; so, then, this special virtue cannot be called a perfect virtue, unless it is worthily connected with other virtues. Again, it is like unto very rich food, furnished with exquisite seasonings, but lacking salt. For as those rich dishes cannot be eaten without salt, so this simple virtue may be adorned with the glory and honour of different virtues, but if a man lack the love of God and of his neighbour, he is wholly worthless and contemptible.

[Lectio93]
Mark and Marcellian were two brothers, Romans, who were arrested by Duke Fabian for believing in Christ, and fastened to a beam, to which their feet were nailed. The Judge said to them Wretched creatures, do think for a moment, and free yourselves from such suffering. But they answered him We have never enjoyed any dinner so much as we do what we are now undergoing here for Jesus Christ's sake. We have got ourselves a little fast to His love now. Would that He would let us suffer this as long as we are clad in this corruptible body. Still suffering, they for a day and a night sang the praises of God continually, and in the end were thrust through with darts, and so attained the glory of Martyrdom. Their bodies are buried upon the Way to Ardea.
&teDeum

[Lectio94]
Ephraem was of Syrian stock, his father being a citizen of Nisibis. While he was still young, he went to the holy bishop James to be baptized. In a short time he advanced so much in holiness and learning that he was made master of a flourishing school at Nisibis, a city in Mesopotamia. Ordained deacon of the Church of Edessa, and refusing the priesthood out of humility, he shone with the splendour of all virtues, and sought to acquire devotion and religion by the profession of true wisdom. All his works, illuminated with the bright light of learning, caused this Saint to be treated with great honour as a Doctor of the Church even in his lifetime. He excelled, above all, in a wonderful and loving devotion to the Immaculate Virgin. Rich in merits, he died on the 18th day of June at Edessa in Mesopotamia, under the Emperor Valens. Pope Benedict XV, after consulting the Congregation of Sacred Rites, declared him a Doctor of the Universal Church.
&teDeum