Saint Yared
Saint Yared (born c. 505 AD in Axum, Kingdom of Aksum (modern Ethiopia); died c. 571 AD in Ethiopia) was an Ethiopian musician, composer, and theologian who is regarded as the father of Ethiopian Christian music. He is believed to have composed the liturgical music of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, including the system of notation and the three melodic modes (Ge'ez, Araray, and Ezel) used in Ethiopian religious chant. He is venerated as a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the Eritrean Orthodox Church, and the Catholic Church. His feast day is May 11 in the Ethiopian calendar (corresponding to various Gregorian dates).
Stored in Cargo: Saint Yared
| Saint Yared | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | May 11 (Ethiopian calendar Genbot 11); various Gregorian dates |
| Profession | Liturgical composer; musician; theologian; father of Ethiopian church music; ascetic; sixth-century Ethiopian court musician and saint |
| Rel. Affiliation | Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church; Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church; Catholic Church; Oriental Orthodoxy; founder of Ethiopian liturgical music tradition; Kingdom of Aksum; 6th-century Ethiopian Christianity |
| Patronage | Ethiopia; Eritrea; Ethiopian Orthodox Christians worldwide; musicians; liturgical composers; chant; church musicians; Ethiopian culture |
| Attributes | A liturgical harp or sistrum (Ethiopian liturgical instruments); a staff (the king episode); three birds (the divine inspiration); a scroll of musical notation; Ethiopian traditional church dress; the rock-hewn churches of Ethiopia in the background |
| Birthplace | Axum, Kingdom of Aksum (modern Tigray, Ethiopia) |
| Death Place | Ethiopia (traditional; location of death uncertain) |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; he lived to old age; the Ethiopian tradition places his death c. 571 AD; according to tradition, after accidentally striking King Gebre Meskel (who was absorbed in his music) with the point of a staff, he was pardoned by the king but chose to withdraw to solitary life in the mountains, where he lived as an ascetic until his death; the mountain associated with his final retreat (Semayata or another site in Tigray) became a place of pilgrimage; his relics (or remains) are venerated in Ethiopia |
| Primary Shrine | Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, Axum — the spiritual heart of Ethiopian Orthodoxy; his memory venerated there; Ethiopian Orthodox churches worldwide; May 11 feast observed in all Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox communities |
| Liturgical Class | Feast in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church; recognized in the Catholic Church |
| Historic Class | Not in universal 1962 calendar |
Biography
Yared was born c. 505 AD in Axum, the capital of the Kingdom of Aksum (modern Tigray, Ethiopia). He was educated by clergy at Axum and, despite early difficulties with learning, persisted until he mastered the theological and musical traditions of the Aksumite church.
He developed three liturgical modes — Ge'ez, Araray, and Ezel — and composed hymns, antiphons, and chant for the liturgical year of the Ethiopian church. He reportedly performed his music before King Gebre Meskel, whose absorption in the music led to the famous episode in which neither the saint nor the king noticed a staff driven through the king's foot until the music stopped.
Pardoned by the king, he chose to withdraw to ascetic life in the mountains. He died c. 571 AD.
His liturgical system, transmitted orally for 1,500 years, is the foundation of Ethiopian Orthodox worship, used today by approximately 36–40 million Christians. UNESCO has recognized Ethiopian liturgical chant as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Axum, Kingdom of Aksum (modern Tigray, Ethiopia)
Death location: Ethiopia (traditional; location of death uncertain)
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Parishes
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, Axum — spiritual heartland of Ethiopian Orthodoxy; his memory venerated.
Feast day
May 11 (Ethiopian calendar Genbot 11)
Veneration
Saint Yared is the father of Ethiopian Christian music, who developed the three liturgical modes still used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (36–40 million members) in daily worship. His 1,500-year-old chant tradition is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Feast May 11.
Prayers
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