The life of St. Ephraem, therefore, offers not a few obscure problems; only the general outline of his career is known to us. It is certain, however, that while he lived he was very influential among the Syrian Christians of Edessa, and that his memory was revered by all, Orthodox, Monophysites, and Nestorians. They call him the "sun of the Syrians," the "column of the Church", the "harp of the Holy Spirit".
St. Ephraem composed numerous theological-biblical commentaries and polemical works that, in witnessing to the common Christian tradition, have exerted widespread influence on the Greek and Latin churches. He is recognized as the most authoritative representative of 4th-century Syriac Christianity. Over four hundred hymns composed by Ephrem still exist.
His favourite literary form was verse, in which he composed treatises, sermons, and hymns; the result, in early Syriac, is often tedious because of expansive metaphor and allegory. Much of his hymnology was directed against the principal heresies of his day, particularly the teachings of Marcion and Bardesanes, 2nd-century Gnostics.
According to historians of the 5th century, Christians gave enthusiastic prominence to these hymns in their liturgical assemblies. Ephraem further emphasized devotion to the Virgin Mary, particularly her sinlessness and exemplary fidelity. Additional doctrinal themes integrated in his prose and poetry include the Trinitarian teaching on the eternity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
On 5 October 1920, Pope Benedict XV proclaimed Ephrem a Doctor of the Church ("Doctor of the Syrians")
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05498a.htm
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Ephraem-Syrus
https://orthodoxwiki.org/Ephrem_the_Syrian
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