Resurrection Propers (and Office Propers in General)

There is great confusion amongst Maronites as to where do we get our seasonal propers from for the office. As I have mentioned previously, this is an erroneous assumption in itself. We do not have seasonal propers. What we do have is proper offices for particular days.

Happy Feast of St. George!

I wish all my blog readers a happy feast! Mor Gewargis (St. George) is a big feast for many in the world, the people of Middle East included. In honor of Mor Gewargis, I've translated and transliterated the concluding bo'otho for sootoro of his office (from the fenqitho).

Ramsho of Shmooni

This is probably the last office from the Fenqitho I will probably post here. I chose Shmooni's Ramsho because she is a very important saint in Syriac tradition for she, "went first on the path of martyrdom for the sake of the Abrahamic faith." I could write an extensive commentary, but rather than do that I think the office speaks for itself.

Ramsho of St. Shmooni

In the current age of the Maronite Church, the old Syriac saints have been abandoned in almost exclusive adoption of solely Lebanese saints. Among the old saints is the venerable and holy example given to us by St. Shmooni and her seven sons.

Christmas Hymn

In the spirit of the Season of Announcements (i.e. the Syriac equivalent of Advent), I have translated a qolo from the Fenqitho for the Birth of Our Lord (specifically the Ramsho of Christmas from the Hoosoyo) promoted by seeing the drafts for the Liturgical Commission's new issues, and they've decided to eliminate all the Hoosoye qole in favor of some innovative psalmic tone with substance-less words.

I also transliterated the Syriac if anyone is interested in singing the hymn. Let us look forward with fear and reverence to the dawning of our Lord as we commemorate His first coming, and may we serve Him well until His next.

Excerpt from Holy Cross Hoosoyo

While this blog is specifically for the Ordinary, my curiosity leads me to the Fenqitho. This season is that of the Holy Cross, and the Fenqitho contains propers for this feast which was celebrated on the 14th, and will continue to be commemorated in this season until the new Church year begins in November. I translated a little excerpt from the Holy Cross Safro, which I've added below with a little more commentary.

Safro of the Assumption

In the Syriac tradition, we lack the systematic treatises of the Latin Church. What we have, instead, are beautiful poetic liturgical texts which are catechismal in two ways: (1) they're instructive as to how we should raise glory to God and (2) they're instructive as to why we should raise glory to God (lex orandi, lex credendi). This office of the Assumption is illustrative to Mary's voluntary role in the Incarnation of God and salvation of mankind, her power was an intercessor and God's magnification of her.

Sedro of the Assumption

The Hoosoye found in the Fenqitho are relatively longer than those found in the Shhimtho, understandably so since they're for major feasts. The Sedro for the Assumption's Safro is no different. It is also a special type of Sedro set to a bo'oto melody (I have posted one other office like this thus far - the Sootoro of Sunday). Within this Hoosoyo, the mystery of the Incarnation is briefly alluded to, Mary's voluntary role and then a good portion is taken up by the angelic salutations to Mary upon her death and petitions to God.

Qolo from the Safro of the Assumption

As explained in this previous post I will be deviating slightly from the objective of this blog (i.e. translating the Ordinary) in honor of the Virgin Mary by translating the Safro of her Assumption (which is found in the book of festal offices called the Fenqitho). The qole and prayers are very beautiful and reflect many of the Church's longstanding Tradition of the Virgin and her death.

In Honor and Remembrance of the Pure and Holy Virgin Mother of God

To those who pray the Shhimtho or have read any Syriac prayers or homilies it is very obvious that Mary is venerated very highly. Thank God our tradition was never touched by the heresies of the reformers. In honor of the Mary I am translating the Safro for the Assumption, which I hope to post sometime next week.