| On Mt. Sinai, Moses symbolized you, O Virgin, Daughter of David, as a bush, full of all graces. | ܡܘܽܫܶܐ ܒܛܘܽܪ ܣܺܝܢܰܝ ܆ ܒܣܰܢܝܳܐ ܡܰܬܠܶܟܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܆ ܒܬܘܽܠܬܳܐ ܒܰܪܬ ܕܰܘܺܝܕ ܆ ܡܳܠܶܝܢ ܟܽܠ ܫܘܽܦܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܀ |
| The prophet Isaiah foretold, “Behold! A virgin conceives and bears a Wonder.” | ܐܶܫܰܥܝܳܐ ܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܆ ܩܰܕܶܡ ܐܰܟܪܶܙ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܆ ܕܗܳܐ ܒܬܘܽܠܬܳܐ ܒܳܛܢܳܐ ܆ ܘܝܳܠܕܳܐ ܕܘܽܡܳܪܳܐ ܀ |
| The prophet Ezekiel called you a gate, O Virgin, Daughter of David, full of grace. | ܢܒܺܝܳܐ ܚܰܙܩܺܝܐܝܶܠ ܆ ܬܰܪܥܳܐ ܫܰܡܗܶܟܝ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܆ ܒܬܘܽܠܬܳܐ ܒܰܪܬ ܕܰܘܺܝܕ ܆ ܡܰܠܝܰܬ ܛܰܝܒܘܽܬܳܐ ܀ |
| Glory be to the One Who came, appeared from Mary and exalted her commemoration in the Holy Church. | ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܗܰܘ ܕܶܐܬܳܐ ܆ ܘܰܕܢܰܚ ܡܶܢ ܡܰܪܝܰܡ ܆ ܘܰܐܘܪܶܒ ܕܘܽܟܳܪܳܢܳܗ̇ ܆ ܒܥܺܕܬܳܐ ܩܰܕܺܝܫܬܳܐ ܀ |
Author: The Hidden Pearl
Balai of Qenneshrin on Mary
| Mary, Daughter of David, who would not extol you, for all creatures marvel at your Child? | ܡܰܪܝܰܡ ܒܰܪܬ ܕܰܘܺܝܕ ܆ ܡܰܢܘܽ ܕܠܳܐ ܢܩܰܠܣܶܟܝ ܆ ܕܟܽܠܗܘܽܢ ܒܶܪ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ ܆ ܒܝܰܠܕܷܟܝ ܬܰܗܺܝܪ̈ܺܝܢ ܀ |
| Virgin, who bore the milk of mothers and suckled the Preserver Who nourishes all, | ܒܬܘܽܠܬܳܐ ܕܰܛܥܺܝܢܳܐ ܆ ܚܰܠܒܳܐ ܕܶܐܡ̈ܗܳܬܳܐ ܆ ܘܡܰܝܢܩܳܐ ܠܙܳܝܘܽܢܳܐ ܆ ܕܗܘܽܝܘܽ ܡܬܰܪܣܶܐ ܟܽܠ ܀ |
| the Church rejoices on the day of your commemoration. Through your prayer, may mercies by upon the world. | ܥܺܕܬܳܐ ܕܶܝܢ ܚܳܕܝܳܐ ܆ ܒܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܕܕܘܽܟܪܳܢܶܟܝ ܆ ܒܰܨܠܘܽܬܶܟܝ ܢܶܗܘܘܽܢ ܆ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܥܰܠ ܥܳܠܡܳܐ ܀ |
| Glory be to you, our Lord, on [the day of] Your mother’s commemoration, in heaven, on earth and in the four corners of the world. | ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܳܟ ܡܳܪܰܢ ܆ ܒܕܘܽܟܪܳܢ ܝܳܠܶܕܬܳܟ ܆ ܒܰܫܡܰܝܳܐ ܘܒܰܐܪܥܳܐ ܆ ܘܒܰܐܪ̈ܒܰܥ ܦܶܢ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ ܀ |
Balai of Qenneshrin on the Cross
| Leap for joy and rejoice, Church, and sing praise to the power of the cross, for it is carrying your foundation so that the evil one could not conceal your truth. | ܕܘܽܨ ܘܰܚܕܺܝ ܥܺܕܬܳܐ ܆ ܘܰܙܡܰܪܝ ܬܶܫܒܘܽܚܬܳܐ ܆ ܠܚܰܝܠܶܗ ܕܰܨܠܺܝܒܳܐ ܆ ܕܗܘܽ ܛܥܺܝܢ ܫܶܬܶܣܰܝܟ̈ܝ ܆ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܶܬܡܨܶܐ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܆ ܢܚܰܦܶܐ ܠܰܫܪܳܪܶܟܝ ܀ |
| In Your Cross, I take refuge, our Savior. By its wings, protect me from the evil one and his power. May Your Cross, our Savior, be for us a bulwark night and day, and at all times. | ܒܰܨܠܺܝܒܳܟ ܐܶܚܕܶܬ ܆ ܓܰܘܣܳܐ ܦܳܪܘܽܩܰܢ ܆ ܒ̈ܟܶܢܦܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܣܰܬܰܪܰܝܢܝ ܆ ܡܶܢ ܒܺܝܫܳܐ ܘܚܰܝܠܶܗ ܆ ܨܠܺܝܒܳܟ ܦܳܪܘܽܩܰܢ ܆ ܫܘܽܪܳܐ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܠܰܢ ܆ ܒܠܺܠܝܳܐ ܘܒܺܐܝܡܳܡܳܐ ܆ ܘܰܒܟܽܠ ܥܶܕܳܢ̈ܺܝܢ ܀ |
| May your Cross, Lord, become a bulwark and a house of refuge for the souls who are invoking Your Holy name. We are calling you, Messiah, our Savior. Have mercy on our lives and do not disregard us. | ܨܠܺܝܒܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܆ ܫܘܽܪܳܐ ܘܒܶܝܬܓܰܘܣܳܐ ܆ ܠܢܰܦ̈ܫܳܬܳܐ ܕܩܳܪ̈ܶܝܢ ܆ ܠܰܫܡܳܟ ܩܰܕܺܝܫܳܐ ܆ ܠܳܟ ܗ̱ܘܽ ܩܳܪܶܝܢܰܢ ܆ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܦܳܪܘܽܩܰܢ ܆ ܪܰܚܶܡ ܥܰܠ ܚ̈ܰܝܰܝܢ ܆ ܘܠܳܐ ܬܶܗܡܶܐ ܡܶܢܰܢ ܀ |
| Praise is due to Your justice, eternal Father. Adoration is due to Your Cross, merciful Child. Thanksgiving is due to Your mercy, compassionate Spirit. | ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܟܺܐܢܘܽܬܳܟ ܆ ܐܰܒܳܐ ܡܬܘܽܡܳܝܳܐ ܆ ܘܣܶܓܕܬܳܐ ܠܰܨܠܺܝܒܳܟ ܆ ܝܰܠܕܳܐ ܡܪܰܚܡܳܢܳܐ ܆ ܬܰܘܕܺܝ ܠܰܚܢܳܢܳܟ ܆ ܪܘܽܚܳܐ ܡܪܰܚܦܳܢܳܐ ܀ |
Balai of Qenneshrin on Fasting
| Blessed are they who fast. When the King appears and finds them clad with the clothes of the kingdom, on account of their fast, He shall grant [them] everlasting blessings. | ܛܘܽܒܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܨܰܝܳܡܳܐ ܆ ܡܳܐ ܕܕܳܢܰܚ ܡܰܠܟܳܐ ܆ ܘܡܶܫܟܰܚ ܠܶܗ ܕܰܠܒܺܝܫ ܆ ܠܒ̈ܘܽܫܶܐ ܕܡܰܠܟܘܽܬܳܐ ܆ ܚܠܳܦ ܨܰܘܡܶܗ ܝܳܗܶܒ ܆ ܛܘ̈ܽܒܶܐ ܕܠܳܐ ܡܰܘܦܶܝܢ ܀ |
| They who, with love, observe fasting shall be full of peace and love toward all people, for, by their fast and love, they shall be pleasing to God. | ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܒܚܘܽܒܳܐ ܆ ܨܳܐܶܡ ܠܶܗ ܠܨܰܘܡܳܐ ܆ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܡܠܶܐ ܫܰܝܢܳܐ ܆ ܘܚܘܽܒܳܐ ܠܘܳܬ ܟܽܠܢܳܫ ܆ ܕܰܒܨܰܘܡܶܗ ܘܚܘܽܒܶܗ ܆ ܢܪܰܥܶܝܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܀ |
| For this is the fast that bequeaths the kingdom to those who unite to them love and alms. Blessed are they who labor and toil in their labor. | ܗܳܢܰܘ ܓܶܝܪ ܨܰܘܡܳܐ ܆ ܕܡܰܘܪܶܬ ܡܰܠܟܘܽܬܳܐ ܆ ܐܰܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܚܠܺܝܛ ܒܶܗ ܆ ܚܘܽܒܳܐ ܘܙܶܕܩ̈ܳܬܳܐ ܆ ܛܘܽܒܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܡܰܢ ܕܰܦܠܰܚ ܆ ܘܰܕܥܶܬ ܒܦܘܽܠܚܳܢܶܗ ܀ |
| Glory to the mercies who sent you for our salvation. Messiah, full of mercies, have pity on us, whose hope is in You, accept our worship, and may our fast be pleasing to you, Lord. | ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܗܘܽܢ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܆ ܕܫܰܠܚܘܽܟ ܠܦܘܽܪܩܳܢܰܢ ܆ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܡܠܶܐ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܆ ܚܘܽܢ ܠܰܢ ܕܒܳܟ ܣܰܒܪܰܢ ܆ ܘܩܰܒܶܠ ܬܶܫܡܶܫܬܰܢ ܆ ܘܨܰܘܡܰܢ ܢܪܰܥܶܝܟ ܡܳܪܝ ܀ |
Praying with Balai of Qenneshrin
| Your loving-kindness shall be sad upon seeing my stains, yet may it petition Your justice lest I be cast out altogether. | ܬܶܟܪܶܐ ܠܛܰܝܒܘܽܬܳܟ ܆ ܡܳܐ ܕܚܳܙܝܳܐ ܠܟ̈ܘܽܬܡܳܬܝ ܆ ܘܬܰܦܺܝܣ ܠܟܺܐܢܘܽܬܳܟ ܆ ܕܠܳܐ ܐܶܫܬܕܶܐ ܠܰܓܡܳܪ ܀ |
| Although there are no deeds, save me because of my faith. Save me because of one thing alone, because of Your loving-kindness. | ܘܐܳܦܶܢ ܥ̈ܒܳܕܶܐ ܠܰܝܬ ܆ ܐܰܚܳܢܝ ܒܗܰܝܡܳܢܘܽܬܳܝ ܆ ܒܰܚܕܳܐ ܚܕܳܐ ܒܰܠܚܘܽܕ ܆ ܐܰܚܳܢܝ ܒܛܰܝܒܘܽܬܳܟ ܀ |
| Lift me up, the lowest of all, and make the weakest of all to understand. Let your compassion, Lord, gush forth toward me because of Your loving-kindness. | ܘܥܰܠܳܢܝ ܒܨܺܝܪ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܆ ܘܣܰܟܶܠ ܡܚܺܝܠ ܡܶܢ ܟܽܠ ܆ ܢܶܫܦܰܥ ܚܢܳܢܳܟ ܡܳܪܝ ܆ ܨܶܐܕܰܝ ܒܛܰܝܒܘܽܬܳܟ ܀ |
| Glory be to You, Christ, the hope, for Whom all sinners have waited and to Whom they pray. | ܠܳܟ ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܆ ܣܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܠܶܗ ܣܰܟܺܝܘ ܆ ܟܽܠܗܘܽܢ ܚ̈ܰܛܳܝܶܐ ܆ ܕܠܶܗ ܗܘܽ ܡܶܬܟܰܫܦܺܝܢ ܀ |
Week of the Resurrection of the Lord
Safro (Morning) – Week of the Resurrection |
|
|
2nd Week of the Resurrection
Safro (Morning) – 2nd Week of the Resurrection |
3rd Week of the Resurrection
Safro (Morning) – 3rd Week of the Resurrection |
4th Week of the Resurrection
Safro (Morning) – 4th Week of the Resurrection |
5th Week of the Resurrection
Safro (Morning) – 5th Week of the Resurrection |
6th Week of the Resurrection
Safro (Morning) – 6th Week of the Glorious Resurrection |
7th Week of the Resurrection
Safro (Morning) – 7th Week After the Glorious Resurrection |
He had Made Peace Along the Whole Road so it Can Now be Travelled Without Fear
This links displays/downloads an Arabic translation of this article in pdf.
The Book of Accompaniment is the oldest extant Maronite document which preserves the funeral rites celebrated by the Maronite Church.1,2 Then Msgr. Hector Y. Doueihi, now Emeritus Bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, explains in the introduction,
“[The title and the concept it contains] indicate that the dead, who have ended their journey in this life, are starting another journey in the life beyond. According to the ancient spiritual vision of the early Syriac Churches, the passage to eternal life is hampered by obstacles and dangers. The departed need special support and guidance on their journey. Thus, the funeral rites are a complex of psalms, hymns, Scripture readings and prayers that ‘accompany’ them on this ‘other’ journey. The texts implore the ‘company’ of the Lord and his mysteries for them, and pray for protection and safety on their journey. The funeral rites, are, therefore, rites of ‘accompaniment’ which are celebrated on the road as one begins the journey to new life.”3
Not only do the departed need special support and guidance on their journey, but the living, who mourn the death of their loved ones and are traveling on the same road of faith, seek a message of hope and consolation as well.4 Jacob of Serugh (ca. 451 – 521), a prolific Syriac Church Father and known as the Flute of the Holy Spirit, provides his readers with such a message. He teaches that it is none other than Jesus Christ who accompanies the deceased and the living on this road traveled by all grudgingly and with fear. The objective of this brief column5 is to share with the reader this powerful insight which Jacob draws from his main source of pastoral, theological, spiritual and poetical insight, i.e., the Bible. Furthermore, this column’s other goal is to encourage the interpretation of the three stations of the Maronite funeral rites, or better yet the three stations of the accompaniment rites, in light of Jacob’s explanation.
“Thou Who Wast Crucified for us, Have Mercy on us” The Theology of Philoxenus of Mabbug on the Trisagion
Introduction
In a dogmatic letter written to the Monks of Beth-Gaugal,1 Philoxenus of Mabbug (485 A.D. – 523 A.D)2 urged the “hearers” not to be troubled by the statement “God was crucified for us.”3 This assertion was the catalyst that incited the Trisagion controversy.4 The Trisagion, Greek for “thrice holy”, is a liturgical hymn5 that affirms the holiness of the Omnipotent Immortal God in whom Christians believe. At the crux of the controversy lies the Chalcedonian affirmation (451 A.D.) that Jesus’ weaknesses are attributed to his human nature and his supernatural deeds are assigned to his divine nature.6 Philoxenus of Mabbug was among those who rejected this “blasphemy”7 and worked tirelessly to promote the belief in the passion and death of the consubstantial Son, thus bringing to the fore8 and vigorously9 promoting the “theopaschite”10 formula of the Miaphysite Trisagion: “Thou art Holy, God; Thou art Holy, Strong One; Thou art Holy, Immortal One; (Thou) Who wast crucified for us, have mercy on us.”11
The objective of this paper is to explain the theological underpinning for Philoxenus’ Miaphysite Trisagion as elucidated in his dogmatic letter to the monks.
The Fire of Purgation in Gregory of Nyssa’s De anima et resurrectione
The author would like to thank Rafael Rodrigues for translating this article into Portuguese.
Introduction
Fire has had different functions in Christian eschatology. While final destruction is the fate of the unsaved according to Edward William Fudge in his book Fire that Consumes1, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that eternal punishment awaits those who die in a state of mortal sin2. In either case, fire is the main agent that consumes the damned or inflicts eternal punishment on them. Fire also plays an important role in purifying the soul according to the Catechism’s teachings on purgatory where all who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, undergo purification before they enter the joy of heaven. “The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire.3” Long before the Fathers of the Councils of Florence (1414-1418 A.D.) and Trent (1545-1563 A.D.) promulgated the doctrine of purgatory, Gregory of Nyssa (335-394 A.D.) and other theologians4 espoused the teaching of universal salvation in which fire has a central function. The objective of this paper is to explain the notion of fire and its role in cleansing the soul as Gregory of Nyssa propounds in his De anima et resurrectione or “On the Soul and the Resurrection.5”
This work begins by exploring the notion of fire as an agent of purification in the afterlife in Gregory’s De anima et resurrectione. Next, a closer investigation of the fire of purgation will shed light on the biblical foundation upon which Gregory relied to expound his teachings. Lastly, this paper will argue that fire is a metaphor for God.
