St. Jacob of SerughNovember 29

St. Jacob of Serugh was born in 451 in Kurtam, near the Euphrates River. He attended a famous school in Edessa, a town known today as Urfa, where he dressed as a monk and was ordained a priest there. Between the year 502 and 503, he was raised in position as Periodeutes, (responsible for visitation and pastoral care of priest) of Haura. He employed up to 70 writers who edited parts of the Old and New Testaments as well as writings about the Lives of the Saints, and they wrote down his poems. In 519 he was consecrated as bishop of Bätna.

He was a holy bishop and a great Syrian ecclesiastic writer of his time. He was a poet with a clear formulation, whose thoughts were profound and amazing. His poems have never failed to astonish the reader. The opening credits of his poetry were beautiful and take the reader into the heart. He was chosen as a child of God, and was one of the most popular saints of his time. He worked against the heresies; he just stood and preached the true and healthy faith in God. Because of all his virtues, he is designated as a "universal teacher, Harp of the Holy Spirit, Harp of the Orthodox Church and wreath and decoration of the teachers."

He passed away at the age of 70 years on 11/29/521.