Saint Jacob of Serugh

Saint Jacob of Serugh, a revered theologian and poet of the Syriac Orthodox Church, was born in the 5th century. He is often called the “Flute of the Holy Spirit” for his eloquent and melodic theological writings. His poetic homilies, written in exquisite Syriac verse, explore the mysteries of faith, the incarnation of Christ, and the wonders of creation.

ܡܪܝ ܝܥܩܘܒ ܕܣܪܘܓ ܗܘܐ ܕܟܝܪܐ ܘܡܠܦܢܐ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ. ܒܪ ܡܐܐ ܚܡܫܐ ܗܘܐ ܘܡܢ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܗ ܕܡܝܬ ܠܐܬܡܬ ܘܐܠܗܘܬ ܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ. ܡܡܪ̈ܐ ܕܟܬܒ ܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܡܡܠܠܢ ܒܡܛܩܢܘܬܐ ܘܒܝܘܦܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ.

Jacob’s works, numbering over 700 homilies, are filled with deep spiritual insight and continue to inspire the faithful. His emphasis on the love of God and the role of Christ as the redeemer made his teachings timeless and relevant even today.

ܡܡܪ̈ܐ ܕܝܥܩܘܒ ܕܡܢܝ ܗܘܐ ܝܬܝܪ ܡܢ ܫܒܥ ܡܐܐ ܘܡܠܝ̈ܢ ܗܘܘ ܪܘܚܢܘܬܐ ܥܡܝܩܬܐ. ܡܠܦܢܘܬܗ ܗܝ ܕܥܠ ܚܘܒܐ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܘܥܠ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܐܝܬ ܗܘܬ ܚܝܠܬܐ ܠܡܝܗܕܘܬܐ ܘܡܥܝܠܐ ܥܕܝܠܡܐ.

He fiercely defended Orthodox Christology against heresies and upheld the true faith through his writings. His legacy is still alive in the Syriac Church, where his hymns and theological reflections guide believers in their spiritual journey.

ܗܘ ܩܡ ܒܚܝܠܐ ܩܕܡ ܡܣܝܒܘܬܐ ܘܢܛܪ ܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܒܟܬܒ̈ܘܗܝ. ܝܪܬܘܬܗ ܥܕܝܠܡܐ ܩܝܡܐ ܗܝ ܒܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܕܬܫܒܘܚ̈ܬܗ ܘܒܝܘܪܟܬܗ ܡܕܒܪܢ ܠܡܗܝܡܢܐ ܒܐܘܪܚܗܘܢ.

Let us honor Saint Jacob of Serugh, whose words continue to shine like a guiding light, leading us closer to Christ.

ܡܪܝ ܝܥܩܘܒ ܕܣܪܘܓ ܗܘ ܕܡܠ̈ܘܗܝ ܢܗܝܪ̈ܝܢ ܐܝܟ ܢܘܗܪܐ ܕܕܒܪ ܠܡܣܝܚܐ.