Saint Ephraim the Syrian (Fiorenzo) Icon - S638

This icon of the great poet and hymnographer Saint Ephraim the Syrian is by the hand of American iconographer Mark Fiorenzo. It shows the holy saint in his monastic clothing and distinctive head covering. He holds a scroll with the beginning of his famous Lenten prayer, known by all Orthodox Christians, “O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power…”

Raised by faithful Christian parents in Nisibis, Egypt, in his youth Ephraim (or Ephrem) was thoughtless and rebellious. It was not until his antics approached a criminal nature and he was accused of theft that Ephraim began to repent of his ways. For a long while, he struggled to achieve true repentance, not just the fear of punishment.

Desiring a true change, he went into the wilderness to join a community of hermits. Under their guidance, he entered the monastic life. He devoted himself to prayer, study, and writing. Over the course of his life he composed hundreds of hymns, sermons, and apologetic works, and went on to teach outside his monastic community. He traveled for a time and participated in the Church’s development, but he spent his final years in a cave in silence and solitude.

His feast day is celebrated on January 28.