Parish of St. Ephraim the Syrian is a English-speaking Russian Orthodox parishIt is important to understand that not all the inner workings of Saint Ephraim the Syrian’s time line is known. Most importantly not many have been able to recover any documents stating what was done in their personal, intimate lives such as what type of furniture garden they used during this time. Ephraim was born near the year of 306 in Nisbis. Some evidence suggests that he was born to Christian parents with claims that his father was a priest while other states that his father was a Pagan.
All that is known was his parents were considered very wealthy in their time frame that they may have actually had some furniture garden. But there is no concrete evidence to suggest this. Ephraim had a run in with the law during his teen years when he was accused of stealing a sheep. The judge sent him to jail but he was released and found to be innocent. After this run in was when Ephraim decided to surrender his life over to the Lord. He became a disciple of Saint James who lived in Nisbis. With the guidance to St. James he became a servant to God.
If it wasn’t for the brief period in his youth when he ran into trouble Saint Ephraim may have never chose the path he did with God, and we would not have all the writings and teachings from him today. Who knows what type of furniture garden he had during his time, but one thing is known that we are very fortunate he chose the path he did. Without his teachings and writings the church may not be the same as it is today.