Church Fathers

Hymn Commemorating the Holy Fathers

English Translation

Come let us celebrate the rememberance of our holy fathers

who gave the true orthodox faith to the world.

We remember Ignatius the luminous

and Theologos the sea of wisdom.

Kyrillos the sweet waterfall and Ivanios with the golden mouthed.

We also remember Baselios and our master Gregorios

as well as Dioscorus, Clemis,

Philoxinos and our illustrious Severios.

May God help us with their prayers.

Fathers commemorated in the Fifth Diptych (Thubden) of the Holy Qurbana

Barekhmor,

Again we commemorate those who Have fallen asleep and are at rest in the abode of the saints - those who kept undefiled the true Apostolic faith and handed it down to us. We acknowledge and proclaim the three ecumenical and holy synods of Nicea, Constantinople and Ephesus. We remember all our illustrious, God-Fearing and holy Fathers and Doctors who took part in them.

We remember especially:

the Holy St. James, Apostle and Martyr, the first bishop of Jerusalem,

the Saints Ignatius, Clemis, Dionysios, Athanasios, Julius, Baselios, Gregorios, Dioscorus, Timotheos, Philoxenos, Anthimus, Ivanios,

the Illustrious St. Kyrillos, an exalted and veritable tower of truth, who correctly expounded the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, showing clearly that the Word of God became flesh.

We commemorate also our Patriarch St. Severus, the Crown of the Syrians, the eloquent mouth and pillar and doctor of the universal Holy church of God, the flower-filled meadow, who constantly proclaimed that Mary was beyond doubt the God-bearer,

our Righteous and holy Father Jacob Burdono the upholder of the Orthodox Faith,

Mor Ephrem, Mor Jacob, Mor Isaac, Mor Balai,

and Mor Barsauma the Chief among Mourners,

Mor Shemeon the Stylite,

Mor Abhai the Elect one,

our Holy Fathers Patriarch Ignatius Elias III, Mphriano Mor Baselius Eldho and Mor Gregorious of Parumala,

and all those who before these, with these, or after these, have maintained the One uncorrupted Orthodox faith and handed it down to us. That their prayers may be a refuge to us, let us pray to the Lord.

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YAKUB (St.James of Jerusalem)

Died 62 CE. The diptych describes him as high priest, saint, apostle, and martyr. Tradition ascribes to him the authorship of the New Testament epistle 'The Letter Of James'. 'Brother' of our Lord Jesus. Author of the St James liturgy. Was a pillar of the Christian Church in Jerusalem along with St Peter and St John. He was martyred on the orders of the Jewish priestly authorities, either by stoning (version of Flavius Josephus, Jewish historian) or by being thrown from a temple tower (according to early Christian writer St. Hegesippus).

IGNATHIOS (St.Ignatius of Antioch)

Died 107 CE in Rome (Feast Day Nov 17). St. Ignatius was the third bishop (Patriarch) of Antioch. St. Peter the Apostle established a bishopric in Antioch and became its first bishop and was succeeded by Evodius for the converted Jews and St. Ignatius the Illuminator for the converted Gentiles. After the martyrdom of St. Peter in Rome, he was succeeded by St. Evodius who was martyred in 68AD, and St. Ignatius respectively. All Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch take the title Ignatius in his honor. Tradition also holds that he is one of the children our Lord Jesus Christ took in his arms and blessed. He is also know by the title Theophorus (God-Bearer).

CLEMIS (St.Clement of Rome)

Died 1st Century AD (Feast day Jan 22). Fourth bishop (Pope) of Rome. Possibly reigned during (92-101 CE). Many believe he is the same Clement mentioned in Philippians 4:3. Perhaps he wrote the Letter to the Church of Corinth.

DEEVANNASIOS (St. Dionysus of Alexandria)

Died 265 CE. Bishop (Pope) of Alexandria from 247 CE. Was twice exiled. He is remembered for teaching the one, holy apostolic church two important principles: a.) Readmission of penitent apostates to the church. b.) Non-insistence on "rebaptising converts who had received heretical baptism", even as the right of communities to rebaptise if they preferred was recognised

ATHANASIUS (St. Athanasius of Alexandria)

Died 373 CE (Feast day Jan 18). Attended Council of Nicea. Bishop of Alexandria since 328 CE. Exiled by emperors Constantine, Constantius (twice), Julian, and Valens. Author of 'Four Orations Against the Arians' , 'On the Incarnation' among others.

YULIOS (St. Julius of Rome)

Julius. Died 352 CE. 35th Bishop (Pope) of Rome from 337 CE. Protected Orthodoxy against Arianism. Gave safe harbour to Athanasius during his exile. Convened the council of Sardica.

BASELIUS (St. Basil of Caesarea)

Died 379 CE (Feast day Jan 1). Bishop of Caesarea. Brother of Gregory of Nyssa. Defender of Orthodoxy against Arianism. Author of 'Longer Rules' and 'Shorter Rules', 'Address to Young Men' etc. The liturgy of St. Basil is known after him. All Maphryans of the Syriac Church started taking the title Baselius in his honour from the 16th century CE.

GREGORIOS (St. Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzes)

There are two Gregories. Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzes. The two, along with Basil, are known as the Cappadocian fathers. The one mentioned in the diptych could be either of them or both.

a) Gregory of Nyssa. Died 394 CE. The Cappadocian fathers are credited with formulating the doctrine of Trinity, and Gregory of Nyssa played a leading role in it. Author of `The Great Catechesis', `Life of Macrina' (biography of his sister and saint) among others. Attended the Council of Constantinople.

b) Gregory of Nazianzes. Died 389 CE. Friend of Basil and Gregory of Nyssa. He is also known as Gregory the Theologian (aka Theologos). Collaborated with Basil in editing the Philocalia, an anthology of selections from Origen. His sermons at Constantinople influenced many, including Jerome of the Vulgate Bible fame. Under his influence, the ecumenical synod of Constantinople endorsed the Trinitarian doctrine.

DIOSCORUS (St. Dioscorus of Alexandria)

Died 454 CE. Patriarch of Alexandria. Succeeded Cyril in that position in 444 CE. Deposed and excommunicated by the Council of Chalcedon for his true Orthodox mia-physite beliefs. He was also persecuted by the Roman emperor

TIMOTHEOS (St. Timotheos of Alexandria)

Died 477 CE. Patriarch of Alexandria. Succeeded Dioscorus in opposition to the emperor's choice of successor.

PHILOXENOS (St. Philoxenos of Mabbug)

Died 523 CE. Bishop of Mabbug (near present- day Aleppo) under Patriarch Peter the Fuller. Compiler of the Philoxenian New Testament, which was the primary scriptural source of Syriac Christianity for two centuries. Theologian.

ANTHEMOS (St. Athimus of Constantinople)

Anthimus I. Patriarch of Constantinople (reigned 535-536 CE). He was deposed for his true Orthodox miaphysite beliefs by those who were opposed to it. Provided sanctuary until death by benefactor Empress Theodora.

IVANIOS OR IOANNIS (John Chrysostom of Constantinople)

Died 407 CE (Feast Day Jan 25). Called the `golden-mouthed' for being an extraordinary orator. Ioannis is the Greek version of John. Bishop (Patriarch of Constantinople) since 398 CE. Exiled twice by the emperor Arcadius. The Anaphora of St John Chrysostom is known by his name.

KOORILOS (St. Cyril of Alexandria)

Died 444 CE. Bishop (Patriarch) of Alexandria. Convener of the Council of Ephesus. Leader of the movement against the Nestorian heresy.

SEVERIUS (St. Severus of Antioch)

Died 538 CE. Patriarch of Antioch. Exiled twice during the reigns of Justin I and Justinian I. After him, the Antiochian Church split into Oriental Orthodox (mia-physite) and Byzantine Melike Orthodox (Chalcedonian) factions. Giant of the Syriac Church.

"A collection of Letters and Sermons of St.Severus of Antioch"

"Writings of St.Severus of Antioch"

YAKUB BURDEANA (Jacob Baradeus)

Died 578 CE (Feast day July 29). After the Council of Chalcedon when the Syriac Church was under persecution by the Roman Emperos, Mor Jacob Baradeus was instrumental in the survival of the Syriac Church. He was ordained a Bishop by Theodosius, exiled Patriarch of Alexandria. The reference to the Syriac Church as `Jacobite' comes from his name.

EPHRAEM (St Ephrem the Syrian)

A hymnist, theologian, poet, and doctor of the church. Died 373 CE (Feat day June 9). Credited with more than 1,000 works. Author of a majority of the hymns in our prayer books.

YAKUB

This could be either of three persons.

a.) Jacob of Nisibis.

Died 338 CE (Feast day July 15). Attended the first ecumenical council of Nicaea as bishop of Nisibis. Saint Ephraim was his disciple.

b.) Jacob of Serugh.

Died 521 CE. Syriac writer described for his learning and holiness as "the flute of the Holy Spirit and the harp of the believing church." Credited with 760 homiletic poems, mostly in dodecasyllabic metre. Many of his hymns appear in our prayer books.

c.) Jacob of Edessa.

Died 708 CE (Feast Day June 5) . Credited with a critical revision of the Syriac Bible, commentary on the Hexameron, grammar, work on the homilies of Severus and Aristotle.

ISAHAC (St. Isaac the Syrian)

Isaac of Nineveh. Died 700 CE. Syrian bishop, theologian and Christian mystic. Broke away from the Nestorian Church where he was bishop of Nineveh. Credited with seven volumes of writings. Eighty-two chapters of Christian mysticism survive.

BALAI

Syriac hymnist. Died probably 460 CE? Disciple of Ephraem. Chor-episcopus from Aleppo. Favourite metre was pentasyllabic as against Ephraem's heptasyllabic. Author of a cycle of poems on the Old Testament patriarch Joseph. After Ephraem, his and Jacob of Serugh's names pop up most in our prayer books as authors of hymns.

BAR SAUMO

Bar Sauma the archimandrite. Died 458 CE. Archimandrites are monastic superiors. Since some refer to him as an anchorite too, he must have been a superior to several anchorites. Anchorites are monks who lived in seclusion. Represented abbots of Syria at the council of Ephesus. Biography written by disciple Samuel.

SHEMVUM DEESTUNI (Simeon the Stylite)

Died 459 CE. First known stylite (or pillar hermit). Remained perched on a 50-feet column, exposed to the elements, until his death.

ABAHAY

Died 455 CE?. Bishop of Nicaea. Known as the elect because he was selected by the Emperor Theodosius II to defend the Nicene faith.

YELDHO MAR BASELIUS

Died 1685. Maphrian of the East. Arrived in Malankara in 1685 and died shortly afterwards. Mortal remains entombed at Kothamangalam MarThoman Church. His name was added to the Fifth Thubden in 1982.

PARUMALA MAR GREGORIOS

Gregorios Geevarghese(Parumala Thirumeni). Died 1902. Saintly father of Malankara. His name was added to the Fifth Thubden in 1982. Mortal remains entombed at Parumala St Peter's and St Paul's Church.