Твори преподобного Єфрема Сирина в Київській Русі

The article examines some features of the medieval Christian worldview, reflected in the translated works of Ephrem, IVcent. Syrian writer, that existed in Kyivan Rus. This paper aimsto determine the rea-son for Ephrem the Syrian’s works extraordinary popularity among newly converted Slavs, proved by alarge number of their manuscripts and allusions to them often found in ancient sermons, saints’ lives and even folk spiritual songs. The methodof hermeneutic analysis is used. The article’s noveltyis in compa-ring the situation of the newly converted Slavs and early Christian Syrian communities according to open-mindedness of their faith as it was before multi-volume theological works emerged. Despite lyricism and simplicity of presentation, in his sermons and homilies Ephrem theSyrian quite gradually explains theart of continuous prayer, heart purification, repentance, keeping mind in heart, self-condemnation and sorrow. The writer does not offer areadertheoretical considerations about necessity to repent and cry for one’s sins, but directly cries and prays together with areader, includes a prayer and a penitential text in aser-mon that abeliever can pronounce as own speech to God. These works extraordinary popularity in Kyivan Rus and simultaneous absence of significant theological oeuvres among translated literature in the early period of the Slavs Christianization both indicate Ephrem the Syrian’s lyrical approach to a homily and a sermon became themost convenient and effective for the converted Slavs. Conclusion:thepurpose of Ephrem homilies and sermons is not in didactics, but in creating a prayerful mood, involving a reader in one’s prayer, emotion and praise. This was the source of the Slavs’ “kinship” feeling when they accepted Ephrem the Syrian. Kyivan Rus did not yet know scholastic “coolness” of theological tractates and the concept of “spiritual state”; it was still ready to accept perceptive words of the Syrian with an open heart and to imperceptibly and reliably learn from him the “art of arts” –hesychastic creation of continuous prayer