Tag: Syriac

Just Father (ܐܰܒܳܐ ܕܩܘܽܫܬܳܐ) – by Jacob of Serugh (ca. A.D. 451 – 521) (an excerpt)

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Syriac Melody: ܒܳܥܘܽܬܳܐ ܕܡܳܪܝ ܝܰܥܩܘܽܒ
Just Father, behold Your Son, a sacrifice [sc. the Eucharist] [that is] pleasing to You. Receive this [sacrifice], [him] who died for me, that I might be pardoned by it.

ܐܰܒܳܐ ܕܩܘܽܫܬܳܐ ܗܳܐ ܒܪܳܟ ܕܶܒܚܳܐ ܕܰܡܪܰܥܶܐ ܠܳܟ . ܠܗܳܢܳܐ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܕܰܚܠܳܦܰܝ ܡܺܝܬ ܘܶܐܬܚܰܣܶܐ ܒܶܗ.

Behold the offering! Receive [it] from my hands, be pleased with me, and do not remember the sins I have committed before Your Majesty.

ܗܳܐ ܩܘܽܪܒܳܢܳܐ ܣܰܒ ܡܶܢ ܐܺܝ̈ܕܰܝ ܘܶܐܬܪܰܥܳܐ ܠܺܝ . ܘܠܳܐ ܬܶܬܕܟܰܪ ܠܺܝ ܚ̈ܛܳܗܶܐ ܕܣܶܥܪܶܬ ܩܕܳܡ ܪܰܒܘܽܬܳܟ .

Behold His blood shed on Golgotha for my salvation, and it is praying for my sake! Accept my offering for its sake.

ܗܳܐ ܕܡܶܗ ܐܰܫܺܝܕ ܥܰܠ ܓܳܓܘܽܠܬܳܐ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܦܘܽܪܩܳܢܝ . ܘܒܳܥܶܐ ܚܠܳܦܰܝ ܩܰܒܶܠ ܩܘܽܪܒܳܢܝ ܡܶܛܽܠܳܬܶܗ .

How numerous are my sins! How great is Your love! If you weighed Your compassion, it would outweigh the mountains which are carrying You!

ܟܡܳܐ ܠܺܝ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܶܐ ܟܡܳܐ ܠܳܟ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܶܐ ܐܶܢ ܬܳܩܶܠ ܐܰܢ̱ܬ . ܚܢܳܢܳܟ ܢܳܬܰܥ ܛܳܒ ܡܶܢ ܛܘܽܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܬܩܺܝܠܺܝܢ ܠܳܟ .

Consider my sins, and consider the oblation [offered] on their account: the oblation and sacrifice [sc. of Your Son] are exceedingly greater than [my] faults.

ܚܘܽܪ ܒܰܚ̈ܛܳܗܶܐ ܘܚܘܽܪ ܒܰܥܠܳܬܳܐ ܕܰܚܠܳܦܰܝܗܘܽܢ . ܕܣܰܓܺܝ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܥܠܳܬܳܐ ܘܕܶܒܚܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܚܰܘ̈ܒܳܬܳܐ .

Since I have sinned, Your loved One [sc. Jesus Christ] bore the nails and spear [on the cross], and His sufferings are enough to appease You.

ܡܶܛܽܠ ܕܰܚܛܺܝܬ ܨ̈ܶܨܶܐ ܘܪܘܽܡܚܳܐ ܣܒܰܠ ܚܰܒܺܝܒܳܟ . ܘܣܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܚܰܫ̈ܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܕܰܢܪܰܥܘܽܢܳܟ ܘܰܒܗܘܽܢ ܐܺܚܶܐ .

Glory [be] to the Father who sent His Son for our sake, and adoration [is due] to the Son who freed all by His crucifixion.

ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܰܐܒܳܐ ܕܠܰܒܪܶܗ ܫܰܕܰܪ ܡܶܛܽܠܳܬܰܢ . ܘܣܶܓܕܬܳܐ ܠܰܒܪܳܐ ܕܒܰܙܩܺܝܦܘܽܬܶܗ ܚܰܪܰܪ ܟܽܘܠܳܐ .

Thanksgiving [be] to the Spirit through whom the mystery of our Savior is accomplished. Blessed is the One who gave us life. Glory be to Him!

ܬܰܘܕܺܝ ܠܪܘܽܚܳܐ ܕܒܶܗ ܐܶܫܬܰܡܠܺܝ ܪܳܐܙ ܦܘܽܪܩܳܢܰܢ . ܒܪܺܝܟ ܕܰܒܚܘܽܒܶܗ ܐܰܚܺܝ ܠܟܽܠܰܢ ܠܶܗ ܬܶܫܒܘܽܚܬܳܐ .

Enjoy this hymn sung in Syriac.

Light Your Lamps (A Syriac Hymn – Maronite Prayer of the Faithful)

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1. Light your lamps, sisters and brothers, for the Bridegroom is about to arrive (Mt 25:1-13).ܐ. ܐܰܢܗܰܪ ܐܰܚܰܝ̈ ܠܰܡ̈ܦܺܐܕܰܝܟܘܽܢ. ܕܗܳܐ ܡܰܛܺܝ ܠܶܗ ܚܰܬܢܳܐ ܕܢܺܐܬܶܐ ܀
2. He makes the Righteous dwell in the spiritual garden of Eden on the day of salvation.ܒ. ܒܓܰܢܰܬ ܥܕܶܝܢ ܗܳܝ ܕܪ̈ܘܽܚܳܢܶܐ . ܡܰܫܪܶܐ ܠܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܒܝܘܽܡ ܦܘܽܪܩܳܢܳܐ ܀
3. He opens the bridal chamber of light to them, and they praise him with their harps. ܓ. ܓܢܘܽܢܳܐ ܕܢܘܽܗܪܳܐ ܦܳܬܰܚ ܠܗܘܽܢ ܆ ܘܰܡܫܰܒܚܺܝܢ ܠܶܗ ܒܟܶܢܳܪ̈ܰܝܗܘܽܢ ܀
4. They also exult in meeting him when he comes, for they expect him and hope in his name.ܕ. ܕܳܝܨܺܝܢ ܠܐܘܽܪܥܶܗ ܬܘܽܒ ܡܳܐ ܕܳܐܬܶܐ. ܟܽܠ ܕܣܰܟܺܝܘ ܠܶܗ ܘܣܰܒܰܪܘ ܒܰܫܡܶܗ ܀
5. Behold the Bridegroom is about to arrive. Blessed are they who are expecting him. ܗ. ܗܳܐ ܡܰܛܺܝ ܠܶܗ ܚܰܬܢܳܐ ܕܢܺܐܬܶܐ ܆ ܛܘܽܒܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܡܣܰܟܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܀
6. He interweaves a crown of glory for the Righteous, who expect his name and his redemption.  ܘ. ܘܰܟܠܺܝܠ ܫܘܽܒܚܳܐ ܠܟܺܐܢ̈ܶܐ ܓܳܕܶܠ ܆ ܕܣܰܟܺܝܘ ܠܰܫܡܶܗ ܘܰܠܦܘܽܪܩܳܢܶܗ ܀
7. The First-born (Col 1:15) arose and descended to Sheol to raise the dead from their graves.  ܙ. ܙܳܚ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܘܰܢܚܶܬ ܒܘܽܟܪܳܐ ܠܰܫܝܘܽܠ ܆ ܕܰܢܩܺܝܡ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܡܶܢ ܩܰܒܪ̈ܰܝܗܘܽܢ ܀
8. The Just saw his light in Sheol and eagerly watched for the return of the Son of the Merciful One.  ܚ. ܚܙܰܘ ܙܰܕܺܝ̈ܩܶܐ ܢܘܽܗܪܶܗ ܒܰܫܝܘܽܠ ܆ ܘܰܣܘܰܚܘ ܠܐܘܽܪܥܶܗ ܕܒܰܪ ܚܰܢܳܢܳܐ ܀
9. They forgot their pain and the suffering they endured when they saw their Lord hung on a tree.  ܛ. ܛܥܰܘ ܟܺܐܒ̈ܰܝܗܘܽܢ ܘܚܰܫ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܣܒܰܠܘ ܆ ܕܰܚܙܰܘ ܠܡܳܪܗܘܽܢ ܬܠܶܐ ܥܰܠ ܩܰܝܣܳܐ ܀
10. He gave us life because of his mercy, and he intermingled our mortality with the angels.  ܝ. ܝܰܗ̱ܒܠܰܢ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ ܡܶܛܽܠ ܪ̈ܰܚܡܘܰܗ̱ܝ ܆ ܘܒܰܝܢܳܬ ܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܚܠܰܛ ܡܺܝܬܘܽܬܰܢ ܀
11. Death lay in wait for our humanity. But he came in his lovingkindness and saved us.  ܟܟ . ܟܡܶܢ ܗ̱ܘܳܐ ܡܰܘܬܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܐ̱ܢܳܫܘܽܬܰܢ ܆ ܘܗܘܽ ܒܛܰܝܒܘܽܬܶܗ ܐܶܬܳܐ ܘܦܰܪܩܰܢ ܀
12. To you be glory, Lord of the angels, for your shining forth gladdened the mournful in Sheol.  ܠ. ܠܳܟ ܬܶܫܒܘܽܚܬܳܐ ܡܳܪܳܐ ܕܥܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܆ ܕܕܶܢܚܳܟ ܐܰܦܨܰܚ ܟܡܺܝܪ̈ܶܐ ܕܰܫܝܘܽܠ ܀
13. Thenceforth the night fled and vanished, and your light shone on Creation.  ܡ. ܡܶܟܺܝܠ ܥܪܰܩ ܠܶܗ ܠܺܠܝܳܐ ܘܰܐܘܦܺܝ ܆ ܘܰܕܢܰܚ ܢܘܽܗܪܶܗ ܥܰܠ ܒܶܪ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ ܀
14. He descended from the height, saved us, and ascended [back]; behold he sits again on the right [hand of the Father] (Mk 16:5).  ܢܢ . ܢܚܶܬ ܡܶܢ ܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܦܰܪܩܰܢ ܘܰܣܠܶܩ ܆ ܘܗܳܐ ܝܳܬܶܒ ܬܳܘܒ ܡܶܢ ܝܰܡܺܝܢܳܐ ܀
15. They eagerly watch for his coming, when he comes again: all those who expect him and hope in his name.  ܣ. ܣܳܘܚܺܝܢ ܠܐܘܽܪܥܶܗ ܬܘܽܒ ܡܳܐ ܕܳܐܬܶܐ ܆ ܟܽܠ ܕܣܰܟܺܝܘ ܠܶܗ ܘܣܰܒܰܪܘ ܒܰܫܡܶܗ ܀
16.  He entered Sheol, his light shone, and drove out darkness from its departed.  ܥ. ܥܰܠ ܠܳܗ݀ ܠܰܫܝܘܽܠ ܘܰܕܢܰܚ ܢܘܽܗܪܶܗ ܆ ܘܰܛܪܰܕ ܚܶܫܟܳܐ ܡܶܢ ܥܰܢܺܝ̈ܕܶܝܗ݀ ܀
17. The fruit Adam ate killed him; the fruit of the height descended and saved him.  ܦ. ܦܺܐܪܳܐ ܕܶܐܟܰܠ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܩܰܛܠܶܗ ܆ ܘܰܢܚܰܬ ܦܰܪܩܶܗ ܦܺܐܪܳܐ ܕܪܰܘܡܳܐ ܀
18. He burst open the graves, raised the dead, and depicted to us the type of his magnificent day.  ܨ. ܨܰܪܺܝ ܩܰܒܪ̈ܶܐ ܡܢܰܚܶܡ ܡܺܝ̈ܬܶܐ ܆ ܨܳܪ ܠܰܢ ܛܘܽܦܣܳܐ ܕܝܰܘܡܶܗ ܪܰܒܳܐ ܀
19. He drew near, and the day of resurrection arrived; blessed are they who expect him.  ܩ. ܩܪܶܒ ܘܰܡܛܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܝܘܽܡ ܢܘܽܚܳܡܳܐ ܆ ܛܘܽܒܰܘܗ̱ܝ ܠܰܐܝܢܳܐ ܕܰܡܣܰܟܶܐ ܠܶܗ ܀
20.  The day on which he comes is magnificent because all hidden things are revealed on it. ܪ. ܪܰܒ ܗ̱ܘܽ ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܗܰܘ ܕܳܐܬܶܐ ܒܶܗ ܆ ܕܒܶܗ ܡܶܬܓܰܠ̈ܝܳܢ ܟܽܠ ܟܰܣ̈ܝܳܬܳܐ ܀
21.  Those lying in the dust hear his voice on the day of the resurrection and come out to meet him. ܫ. ܫܳܟ̈ܒܰܝ ܥܰܦܪܳܐ ܫܳܡܥܺܝܢ ܩܳܠܶܗ ܆ ܒܝܘܽܡ ܢܘܽܚܳܡܳܐ ܘܢܳܦܩܺܝܢ ܠܐܘܽܪܥܶܗ ܀
22.  Adam marvels when he is resurrected and returns to the place filled with blessedness. ܬ. ܬܳܗܰܪ ܐܳܕܳܡ ܡܳܐ ܕܡܶܬܢܰܚܰܡ ܆ ܘܦܳܢܶܐ ܠܰܐܬܪܳܐ ܕܰܡܠܶܐ ܛܘܽܒ̈ܶܐ ܀

Early Syriac Theology With Special Reference to the Maronite Tradition

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Early Syriac Theology with Special Reference to the Maronite Tradition
Seely Beggiani
Short Biography
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Short Biography

Seely Beggiani

Chorbishop Seely Beggiani, S.T.D. was Rector of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Seminary from 1968 to 2013, and Adjunct Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America from 1967 to 2014. He has researched and written on a variety of subjects including systematic theology, Maronite Church history, Maronite liturgy, Syriac theology, and Eastern Christian Spirituality.

His doctoral dissertation at The Catholic University of America in 1963 is entitled: The Relations of the Holy See and the Maronites from the Papacy of Pope Gregory XIII (1572-1585) to the Synod of Mount Lebanon in 1736. His book, Early Syriac Spirituality: with special reference to the Maronite Tradition, was published by Catholic University Press in 2014. Among his published articles during the past 50 years are: “A Case for Logocentric Theology,” Theological Studies 32 (1971): 371-46, “Theology at the Service of Mysticism: Method in Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite,” Theological Studies 57 (1996): 201-23, “The Typological Approach of Syriac Sacramental Theology,” Theological Studies 64 (2003): 543-557, and “The Incarnational Theology and Spirituality of John the Solitary of Apamea,” Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies 21.2 (2018):391-421. In retirement, Chorbishop Beggiani is preparing a manuscript for publication entitled: “A Thematic Introduction to Syriac Spirituality.” He continues to offer courses in Maronite and Syriac studies at the Maronite Seminary and to offer lectures to various audiences.

Early Syriac Theology with Special Reference to the Maronite Tradition
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St. Ephrem, who was proclaimed a Doctor of the Universal Church by Pope Benedict XV, and Jacob of Serugh were two of the earliest and most important representatives of the theological world-view of the Syriac Church.  A good part of their work was in the form of hymns and metrical homilies wherein theology was expressed in poetry.  This present work strives to present their insights in a systematic form according to headings used in western treatises, while not undermining the originality and cohesiveness of their thought.  The material is organized under the themes of the hiddenness of God, creation, and sin, revelation, incarnation, redemption, divinization and the Holy Spirit, the Church, Mary, the mysteries of initiation, eschatology, and faith.

This work notes the paradox of God’s utter mysteriousness and yet his presence in all that he has created.  The kenosis (emptying) of the Word of God is found not only in the human nature of Christ but in the finite words of Sacred Scripture. The purpose of these actions is for the divine to make itself accessible to humans. The triple descent of the Son of God into the womb of Mary, the Jordan River at his baptism, and into Sheol at his death were actions directed both to redemption and divinization. The system of types and antitypes used in Sacred Scripture are employed to demonstrate the sacraments as extensions of Christ’s actions through history.

The goal of this work is to display the rich theological insights the early Syriac fathers provide to the tradition of the universal church. A second purpose of this work is to highlight the fact that the liturgical tradition of the Maronite Church, one of the Syriac Churches, is consistently and pervasively a living expression of the theology of these to Syriac church fathers.  This is done through citations from the Maronite divine liturgy, ritual, and divine office.

While monographs on specific themes in St. Ephrem and James of Serugh have been published in English and other modern languages, this work aims to present a complete overview of the theological world-view of these Syriac writers.

Syriac, Spiritual Ancestral Language, Key to a Vast Treasury

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Aramaic, an ancient language spoken in the Near and Middle East, goes back to the 9th century BC. Like any language, it evolved with time and broke off into several dialects. Syriac (Suryoyo), one of these dialects that came to the scene decades after the Ascension of our Lord, became the dominant Christian literary language among the Peoples who spoke these various local Aramaic tongues and whose presence extended from the coast of present day Lebanon all the way to China.

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Praying with Balai of Qenneshrin

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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 ܀

“Thou Who Wast Crucified for us, Have Mercy on us” The Theology of Philoxenus of Mabbug on the Trisagion

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Introduction

In a dogmatic letter written to the Monks of Beth-Gaugal,1 Philoxenus of Mabbug (485 A.D. – 519 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.

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