18 JUNE – SAINT EPHREM OF SYRIA (Confessor and Doctor of the Church)

Ephrem was born in about 306 AD in Nisibis in Roman Mesopotamia. He was baptised as a youth and became a monk, being present at the the first Council of Nicea, probably as a deacon or attendant to Bishop Jacob of Nisibis who appointed him as a teacher. Ephrem taught principally in the schools of Edessa (modern day Urfa in Turkey) where he became famous for his skill as an orator. Ephrem is popularly credited as the founder of the School of Nisibis which later became the centre of learning of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Ephrem left a large body of writings, including hundreds of hymns, poems and sermons, and an exposition of the Bible. Ephrem died in 378 and was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.