Download or read book The Life and Essential Writings of Ephraim the Syrian written by Ephraim the Syrian and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2011 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the First time in well 100 years, this effort has been pains takingly re-edited for the modern English reader. Saint Ephrem the Syrian was born sometime around the year 306 in Nibisis, a Syrian town located in modern-day Turkey. Fleeing westward from the Persians, who were ravaging Turkey, Ephrem settled in Edessa, in southern Turkey, in 363. There, he continued to write hymns, especially defending the teaching of the Council of Nicea against the Arian heretics, who were influential in Edessa. He died tending plague victims in 373.