The Syrians slipped across the border...

...escaping from the authorities and establishing themselves in places they could quietly continue the work they said God wanted them to do.

One of them would be scarcely seen by the local population, but he was always hard at work to spread his doctrine: writing poetry, establishing a school, and writing about the truths of the Christian faith.

St. Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor of the Church, is said to have died on this very day in the year 373.

(adapted from an earlier post)