The Church today venerates the memory of Ephraim the Syrian.
St. Ephraim is one of the holiest and most prolific early teachers of Orthodoxy, being praised by St. Basil the Great and many other venerable Fathers in their words and references.
He was born in Nisibis, Syria, in the early fourth century to Christian parents. With the assistance of Bishop Jacob, he received excellent theological and scientific education. He, as a child, loved especially to study the Bible and as a writer, he was passionately engaged in its interpretation, as well as in the acquisition of virtues since he remained committed to a solitary life.