What is Syriac?
Syriac (SEER ee ak) is a language closely related to Aramaic. Syriac is divided into two basic dialects: eastern (centered in ancient Nisibis and Edessa, in modern-day southern Turkey), and western (centered in Antioch and Palestine). Syriac survived as an academic language for several centuries, as many of the classics of Greek learning were translated into Syriac; and a whole body of original Syriac literature exists. It also served as a liturgical language in the Syriac Churches (of which the Maronite Church is one) even to this day. The metrical homilies of St. Ephrem are a good example of the use of Syriac. (CYT, p. 405) Return to the Top Do Maronites still use Syriac and Greek today? Both Syriac and Greek were once the common languages of the Maronites (and other Christians too). The everyday language of a community is called the vernacular. As the centuries progressed and as other languages became the vernaculars of the Maronites in their homeland down through the ages; and as t
