by Gabriel Afram (Translator), Abraham Wassef (Introduction by), Edward Sonbati (Editor)

Within the rich corpus of patristic literature, the homilies of Saint Severus of Antioch stand as monuments of theological depth and pastoral warmth. Among his 125 surviving homilies, only six are catechetical, of which this is the first. Delivered on the Wednesday of Holy Week to those preparing for the holy mystery of baptism, this homily guides catechumens through the

essential doctrines of the Christian faith. With the rhetorical skill of a master preacher and the theological precision of a patriarch defending the Orthodox faith, Saint Severus unfolds the Church's confession.

This First Catechetical Homily confronts the errors of the Manichaeans, the heresy of Nestorius, and the dangers of dividing Christ after the Incarnation. It affirms the reality of human free will, the origin of evil, and the necessity of the Word's becoming flesh for our salvation. Saint Severus leads his hearers, and now his readers, through the mysteries of baptism, the life-giving waters of Jordan, and the hope of renewal in Christ. This bilingual Syriac-English edition presents Homily Twenty-One (the first

catechetical homily) in a fresh translation from the Syriac, faithful to the original in both sense and rhetorical force.