September 2, 2026
patristicnectar.org A new English translation of ascetical homilies attributed to St. Ephrem the Syrian is now available from Patristic Nectar Publications. The book, titled On Repentance, presents repentance not simply as sorrow for sin, but as a path of hope, restoration, and transformation.
The homilies are translated and introduced by Deacon Matthew Keil, PhD, and mark the first time this collection has appeared in English. The text is filled with Biblical imagery and poetic urgency, offering readers a window into the Syriac-inspired spirituality that shaped early Orthodox Christian thought.
“Repentance is a bountiful fruit, dearly beloved,” one homily reads. “It is a tree of life, since it revives many who were dead in their sins.”
St. Ephrem, known as the “Harp of the Spirit,” was a 4th-century deacon, theologian, and hymnographer born in Nisibis, in what’s now southeastern Turkey. He wrote extensively in Syriac and became one of the most influential voices of the early Church, composing hundreds of hymns and homilies centered on Scripture and the mercy of God.
On Repentance centers on the theme of God’s inexhaustible mercy and is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook formats.
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