Father Ephraim Kyriakos is from Rashaya, Lebanon, he was a graduated engineer in the late 60's from the Jesuit University of Beirut and worked for a few years before leaving his family's house to study Orthodox Theology at Saint John of Damascus Institute of Theology at Balamand University (Al-Koura, North Lebanon). He completed his studies there and continued at the Theological Academy of Thessaloniki, Greece.
While in Greece, he also decided to fulfil his calling to monasticism and become a monk. He made a pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain of Athos (Greece) and stayed a few years there in Saint Paul's Monastery. He was under the direction of his spiritual father there, Elder Parthenios, who is the Abbot of that monastery until this day, and is a well-known and respected Holy Father of the Orthodox Church. Father Ephraim was tonsured a monk by the hand and blessing of Father Parthenios and he was given the name "Ephraim" after the widely revered Saint Ephraim the Syrian. This was an honor for Father Ephraim, since both he and the Saint he was named after are from the Middle East.
Father Ephraim was asked by the Antiochian Patriarch, His Beautitude ELIAS IV (Mouawad), to return to Lebanon and reopen Saint John of Damascus Institute of Theology, as it was closed during the Lebanese civil war, and work as Dean. He did so from 1979-1981, where he surrendered his position to Archpriest Michel Najm.
Father Ephraim then founded his own monastery in Nahr Baskinta, under the jurisdiction of His Eminence Georges Khodre, Metropolitan of Mount Lebanon. The monastery is located nearly 1200 meters above sea level and is called “Holy Archangel Michael Monastery”, and Father Ephraim is still presently the Abbot there and now has several monks under his spiritual direction. He recently established a new Church, which was consecrated also by Metropolitan Georges, as an attachment to the Monastery, and is reserved for a more quiet setting for his brotherhood to pray alone. The Patron Saint of this Church is St. Ephraim the Syrian.
Fr. Ephraim has also published and translated many theological and spiritual books into Arabic over the years; books including the Patristic Commentaries for the Gospel & Epistle Readings for Sundays and Feast Days, the Teachings of St. Ephraim the Syrian and the Letters of Elder Paisios the Athonite, enriching Orthodoxy for the faithful Arabic readers. He also continues to write articles for Orthodox periodicals and magazines, as well as providing an annual publication by his monastery containing many spiritual topics in both Arabic and English.
Even though Fr. Ephraim is Abbot of his own monastery and serves the spiritual needs of the neighboring village, he still spares time to give lectures and frequent visits to the students and his spiritual children of Saint John of Damascus Institute of Theology, as well as many other monasteries and parishes in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. And also as far west as North America, where we are spiritually blessed with his holy presence this year at our Clergy Retreat.
May God grant Fr. Ephraim many more years to continue his ministry here and abroad, and may he remember us all at the Holy Altar in Archangel Michael Monastery.
http://www.antiochian.org
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