Yared

Infobox Saint
name=Yared
birth_date=April 25 505
death_date=May 20 571
feast_day=11 Genbot
venerated_in=Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria


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Saint Yared (Ge'ez: ቅዱስ ያሬድ) (April 25 505 – May 20 571) was a semi-legendary Ethiopian musician credited with inventing the sacred music tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Ethiopia's system of musical notation. He is responsible for creating the "Zema" or the chant tradition of Ethiopia, particularly the chants of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which are still performed today. He is regarded as a saint of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church with a feast day of 11 Genbot (May 19).

Life

Yared was born in the city of Axum. His father died when he was seven, and his mother sent him to be raised by his uncle Gidewon, a priest who taught religious studies. A legend describes Yared gaining musical insight through interaction with three birds, which inspired him to link the spiritual with the musical through the blending of musical terms which he defined as "Ge’ez", "Izil", and "Ararary". Yared arranged and composed hymns connected to religious celebrations and holidays, introducing the concept of sacred music to the Ethiopian Orthodox services. [ [http://unicorn.ncat.edu/~michael/vses/eth4000/yared.html A brief history of Saint Yared] ]

Yared created five volumes of chants for church services and celebrations. These volumes include "The Book of Digua and Tsome Digua" (chants for church holidays and Sundays services), "The Book of Meraf" (chants for major holidays, daily prayers and the month of fasting), "The Book of Zimare" (chants to be performed after Mass), "The Book of Mewasit" (chants to the dead) and "The Book of Qidasse" (chants to bless the offerings collected during church services). [ [http://www.tadias.com/?p=1303 Tadias Magazine] ]

Tradition states that Yared was a favourite of the Emperor Gabra Masqal. According to legend, the emperor once became so enchanted with Yared's singing that he accidentally dropped his spear on Yared's foot during a performance. As an apology, the emperor offered to grant Yared a promised request. Yared supposedly requested to live the remainder of his life in solitude, where he could focus on prayer, meditation, and music composition. He spent his final years as a recluse in the Semien Mountains. [ [http://muh2051-04.fa04.fsu.edu/students/lessons/53/Africa%202.html Saint Yared and his contributions to Ethiopian music] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.st-gebriel.org/Styared/gab_yared_music.htm Biography of Saint Yared]
* Yelibenwork Ayele. [http://en.ethiopianreporter.com/content/view/1128/36/ Honoring St. Yared, Ethiopia’s father of music] . Ethiopian Reporter, Saturday August 30, 2008.