The Feast of Saint Yared
An Ethiopian scholar, teacher and apostle, composer of hymns, and composer of various sacred texts, including the Psalms of David, Saint Yared, is commemorated on Ginbot 11.
The great composer disappeared at the age of seventy-five in the monastery of Debre Hawi in the northern mountain. He and his works are commemorated every year by the Holy Church. The teachers of hymns are still teaching on behalf of the congregation of Saint Yared.
Saint Yared’s chants are three modes known to be Geez, Izil and Ararary. He wrote five volumes of chants for church services and Holiday celebrations called The Book of Digua and Tsome Digua (chants for church holidays and Sundays services), The Book of Me’eraf (chants for major holidays, daily prayers and the season of fasting), The Book of Zimmare (chants to be performed after Mass) and The Book of Mewasit (chants for the dead).
Saint Yared’s three types of rhyme “Geeze, Ezile and Araraye” were written after his return from the heavens. He has prepared the songs for each seasons for summer, winter, spring, autumn, for festivals and Sabbaths, for the days of the Angels, the Prophets, the Martyrs and the Righteous, in three modes, that is to say, the first mode to be used on ordinary days, the second mode to be used on fast days and days of mourning and the third mode to be used on the great festivals. Holy Church utilizes his hymn and composing not only for these services but for prayer and in the Doctrine of Divine Theology.
We should celebrate the feast of Saint Yared because he has contributed so much not only to us Ethiopian orthodoxies but to the whole world by his work in melody, hymnody and liturgical practices!
May Saint Yared’s prayer, intercession and mediation be with us; Amen!