12/7/2021 Yared - Wikipedia

Yared
Saint Yared (Ge'ez: ቅዱስ ያሬድ; 25 April 505 – 20 May
Saint
571)[2][3] was an Axumite composer in the 6th century. Often
credited with the forerunner of traditional music of Ethiopia Yared
and Eritrea, he developed the religious music of Ethiopian
Orthodox Church, Eritrean Orthodox Church, and the use in
liturgical music, as well as the Ethiopian musical notation
system. Additionally, he composed Zema, or the chant
tradition of Ethiopia, particularly the chants of the Ethiopian-
Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches, which are still
performed today.

Born in Axum, his earlier education was dwindled after his Saint Yared iconographic
father death, and his mother subsequently sent him to parish symbolism, with three major chants,
priest Abba Gedeon. Upon embarking exile to his uncle's Ge'ez, Ezel and Araray
birthplace in Murade Qal, Yared remorsed from his failure in Composer
education after he saw exemplification of caterpillar effort to
climb up tree for its peak. Stimulated by caterpillar's success, Born 25 April 505
Yared gained confidence on his worth and achieved his success Axum, Kingdom of
in later life. He became priest of Holy Ark of Sion. At the reign Aksum
of Emperor Gebre Meskel (son of Emperor Kaleb), Yared Died 20 May 571
significantly gained prominence for his musical style and the (aged 66)
emperor beloved him.
Semien Mountains,
During Nine Saints expedition from Byzantine Empire, Yared Kingdom of Aksum
cooperated with them to build several churches in location of Venerated in Ethiopian Orthodox
Lake Tana, Begemder and in Tigray Province. One of the Tewahedo Church
church called Saint Mariam was founded together after Eritrean Orthodox
debilitating journey in the location of Zur Amba. In Abune Tewahedo Church
Aragawi's Gadla Aragawi account states the name "Zur
Ethiopian Catholic
Amba" derivated from God's appearance in order to guide him
to the east side to build the church. Church
Eritrean Catholic
He is regarded as a saint of the Ethiopian-Eritrean Orthodox Church[1]
Church with a feast day of 19 May. His name is from the Feast 19 May
Biblical person known in English as "Jared" (Book of Genesis
5:15). Attributes Old man wearing
traditional attir, and
holding walking stick
(mequamia),
Contents tsenatsel in front of
Life and role Deggua book and
Later life and death three chants: Ge'ez,
Ezel and Araray
See also
represented in terms
References of doves
External links

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Life and role

Yared was born on 25 April 505 in the village of Axum, Axumite Kingdom from his mother Tauklia
and his father Adam. When he reached six, his parent gave him tutelage of Yishaq, who was a
teacher of Axum. Under his instruction, Yared completed alphabet and Psalms. Yishaq brought
Yared back to his parent and his father died. Unable to raise him, his mother Tauklia left him to
his brother Abba Gedeon, who was a parish priest. Gedeon was a teacher of Old and New
Testament in Saint Mary of Sion and he began translating Holy Scriptures into Ge'ez from Hebrew
and Greek. At that time Yared was in poor education and unable to acquire knowledge, which led
him severe punishments and mockery at school. Aware of his failure, Yared decided to go on to his
uncle's birthplace Medebai Welel. Due to heavy rain, Yared sheltered under a nearby tree in place
of Murade Qal.

Pondering his life, Yared rested and noticed a caterpillar climbing the tree to eat leaves. The
caterpillar continued to fall down, but eventually it succeeded to reach its destination. Yared wept
and returned to Gedeon and pledge him not to offend. Gedeon began teaching Psalms. Yared
subsequently moved to Saint Mary of Sion for prayer. When Yared was fourteen, Gedeon died;
Yared took his mastering position.

He then returned to Axum at the age of nine, becoming the chief priest in Holy Ark of Sion. Soon
after, Yared composed "Ariam".

While at Axum, Yared brought into fruition the concept of traditional musical instruments like
tsenatsel, begena, masenqo, inzira and kebero, created musical notations and alphabets, as well as
mequamia.

During the 14-year rule of Emperor Gebre Meskel, the son of Emperor Kaleb, Yared became a
dominant musical figure in Axum. He proclaimed as the greatest poet and the Emperor favored
him. Soon after Yared composed Zema, resulting in his succession in church service. During this,
Yared decided to live with ascetics and requested to the Emperor:

Promise to grant me...allow me to retire from my work in the court and to live among
the people so that I may devote the rest of my life teaching, to meditation and to prayer.

Though Gebre Meskel resented by his retirement, he kept his promise and granted him to leave his
service. Yared travelled to Semien Mountains.[4]

Yared become a pioneer of observing Hossana, also called Palm Sunday in Axum. He divided
hymns into four parts: winter, summer, autumn and spring. He completed a book Deggua, De'guaa
in Tigrinya, which means "lamentations". Deggua divides into three chanting modes: Ge'ez, Ezel,
Araray. Ge'ez relies a plain chant for ordinary days, Ezel is increased measured beat for funeral
and Araray is a free mode, light beats for festivals. The highest part of Deggua is Mahlet Yared
(hymn of Yared). Those three chants represent the Trinity.

Yared also composed ten tones with notations, unlike the European modes consisting of six notes.
Yared then developed their arrangements calling "Seraye", which signifies hymnary guideline. The
glyphs of notations consist of dashes, dots and curves. Tsome Deggua is written for Lent, Me'eraf is
sung for Sabbath vigils, Zimare is for Holy Communion, Mewasit is for funerals, requierems and
Eastern Eve and Quidase is for Communion. These books spend nine years in order to complete.

The Nine Saints, who were expelled by religious persecution from Byzantine Empire and who
reached Ethiopia in the 5th century, met with Yared, with whom he visited individual churches
and aid them to build with assistance of Axumite Emperors. Yared also consecrated Debre Damo

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churches founded by Abuna Aregawi. One place where Yared successfully gave mastery is St.
Qirkos in Lake Tana.[5]

Yared communication with one of saint named Abba Pantelewon was expedient. Pantelewon told
that Yared knew Western tradition and he went to Constantinople once. He recalled that "I went to
Rome [Second Rome Constatinople] where I saw a Church, I knew her and loved her like my own
sister, a few years later, I visited her again during the time she was bathing in the river Tigre."

Through assistance of Pantelewon, Aragawi and Abba Yesehaq, Yared acknowledged the Western
culture. According to Tarika Nagast and Gadla Aragawi, Emperor Gebre Meskel, Aragawi and
Yared maintained stable friendship for establishing churches at Lake Tana, Begemder and Tigray.
After two years, they went to Gayint and built a church called Saint Mariam at Zur Amba. The
foundation is said to be as a result of "God's guide" and this location was named Zur Amba after
"appearance of God to Aragawi". The account wrote about God's appearance and guidance to
Aragawi in Ge'ez: "Zur Abba Mengale Misraq...." which means "...Abba, turn to the east; you will
find the way to the hill."[6]

Later life and death

On the coronation of Gebre Meskel, Yared placed a wreath of flower to crown on him. The event is
found in Deggua.

Yared died at the age of 66 on 20 May 571 in a cave of Semien Mountains. He had been traveling to
teach.[5]

19 May is conceived as his feast day and the Orthodox Tewahedo Church venerate in
commemoration of his disappearance.[7]

See also
Ethiopian chant

References
1. "Kidane Mehret Ge'ez Rite Catholic Parish The Ge'ez Rite" (http://kidane-mehret.org/Geezrite.
html). Kidane-mehret.org.
2. Chavis, Charles L. (2011-04-05). "Yared (Saint), 505-571 AD" (https://www.blackpast.org/globa
l-african-history/saint-yared-505-571/). Retrieved 2020-05-03.
3. Giday, Belai (1991). Ethiopian Civilization (https://books.google.com/books?id=_FBzAAAAMA
AJ&q=editions:VdYRUVixGbEC). B. Giday.
4. "Saint Yared Poems > My poetic side" (https://mypoeticside.com/poets/saint-yared-poems).
mypoeticside.com. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
5. "About St. Yared - St. Yared Ethiopian Cuisine & Coffeehaus - Indianapolis IN" (http://www.stya
redcuisine.com/about.html). www.styaredcuisine.com. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
6. "Saint Yared" (https://www.abbayesehaq.com/htm/yared.htm). www.abbayesehaq.com.
Retrieved 2021-08-17.
7. "The Feast of the Departure of Saint Yared – Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church Sunday
School Department – Mahibere Kidusan" (https://eotcmk.org/e/the-feast-of-the-departure-of-st-
yared/). Retrieved 2021-08-28.

External links

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12/7/2021 Yared - Wikipedia

A brief History of Saint Yared (http://www.ethiopianorthodoxchurch.org/saint_yared.html)

Biography of Saint Yared (http://www.st-gebriel.org/Styared/gab_yared_music.htm)
Yelibenwork Ayele. Honoring St. Yared, Ethiopia’s father of music (http://en.ethiopianreporter.c
om/content/view/1128/36/). Ethiopian Reporter, Saturday August 30, 2008. (dead link)
Charles L. Chavis Jr. Saint Yared (http://www.blackpast.org/?q=gah/saint-yared-505-571)

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