Christmas Sooghito

Christmas is an extremely important feast in all of Christendom but especially in Syriac Christianity - why? Whereas the Latins emphasize the Passion and the Greeks the Glorious Resurrection (both of which are essential to the faith and should be properly commemorated), we Syriacs focus on the Incarnation which begins with the birth of Christ. Our theology is an "incarnational" one - God has become man so that man may become God, having assumed what is ours and giving us what is His. Volumes could be written on the subject, so I shall just leave a Sooghito from the Christmas office in which Mary praises her newly born Son. How amazing is the self-abasement of Christ in His Incarnation - the Sustainer of the Ages condescends to be fed by a woman, the Bearer of Worlds is borne by a virgin, He who moves all things crawls on the ground, He who governs all things is directed by a human, and He, before whom fiery angels shudder and hide their faces from His blaze, is embraced by a lady.

Let us pray for peace this Christmas for Christ has brought peace between heaven and earth - between whom can He not bring peace?

3rd Hour of Friday

For access to the 3rd Hour of Friday, click here.

Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!

Safro of Friday

For access to the Safro of Friday, click here.

Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!

Lilyo of Friday

For access to the Lilyo of Friday, click here.

Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!

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).

Lilyo of Friday

Here is the Lilyo of Friday.

Another [Lilyo] office with the interesting watch for departed priests. Once I get the opportunity, I'll translate the choir version of the optional watches for departed and the optional watch for monks.

Happy Easter!

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter. Let us remember and celebrate the living-giving passion and glorious resurrection of our Lord all the moments of our lives.

Friday Ramsho

Friday Ramsho is, as most Ramsho offices, concerned with judgment, the eschaton and obtaining mercy. The particular bit I would like to focus on, however, is the mazmooro which does not directly deal with the main theme of judgment.

3rd and 6th Hours of Thursday

I have just completed the minor offices of Thursday. They're posted below and on the 'Office Texts' page for access as usual.

For access to the 3rd Hour, click here.

For access to the 6th Hour, click here.

Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!

Safro of Thursday

Another morning office available!

To access this office, click here.

Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!

Lilyo of Thursday

The Lilyo of Thursday brings an interesting insight into repentance and justification.

6th Hour of Wednesday

This is the last office needing to be translated for Sunday-Wednesday, which the total of translated pages to a total of about 220 typed pages.

The bo'oto of this office is the particular item I would like to highlight.

3rd Hour of Wednesday

Drawing to a conclusion the offices for Wednesday, this is the office text for the 3rd hour. While brief, it has some interesting imagery.

The Use of Psalms in the Maronite Tradition

It seems the usage of Psalms in the Maronite tradition is a point of confusion. Often people ask if we have something analogous to the Byzantine kathisma for a systematic recitation of the Psalms. Since this seems to be a question that I am asked pretty frequently, for general edification I shall repost a response of mine below particularly relating to the offices.

Wednesday Safro

Like all the offices, the time it refers to in the day is not limited only to the temporal circumstances of that literal day but to the greater eschatological context. In particular, I refer to a very commonly used image in Syriac tradition - the Lord as the master of the vineyard who hires laborers at different hours of the day and pays everyone equally.

Wednesday Ramsho and Sootoro

A belated blessed feast of Denho (Epiphany) to all my blog readers. Nothing new, but I've been a bit busy. This post contains the links for Wednesday's ramsho and sootoro that I finished quite a while ago but never got the chance to post.

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.

The 6th Hour - The Last Office of Tuesday

With this office I've completed another day of offices, by the grace of God. I know I said I'm short on time yesterday, which I am, but I'd still like to offer a very short reflection on the beautiful typologies given in the bo'otho of the office.

Tuesday Safro

To access office, click here.

Very short on time as of late, so I'm unable to give a commentary. Pray for me.

Our Lord, accept our service, our prayers, come to our aid and have mercy on us!

Glory of the Three Youths - Tuesday Lilyo

The beauty and catechismal value of qole never ceases to amaze me. In this qolo from Tuesday Lilyo, soteriological events are attributed to the Son, which in every other Church are generally given to the Father. However, in the Syriac Churches we have a great propensity to theologizing that direct interactions between man and God are the work of Christ, since He is the mediator between the Hidden God and humanity.