| Baṟ Maṟiam | |
| Cover: | Knanaya priests chant Bar Maryam.jpg |
| Caption: | Knanaya Catholic priests chant Baru Mariam |
| Genre: | Paraliturgical |
| Length: | 4:00-6:00 |
Baṟ Maṟiam or Baṟŭ Maṟiam is an ancient East Syriac chant distinct to the Church of the East and is most commonly associated with the wedding traditions of the Knanaya community in India. The chant sings about the life of Christ with specific mentions to the Marriage of Cana where he did his first miracle, the Crucifixion where the Church was betrothed to Christ, and numerous other expressions of Christ's journey, death, and resurrection. In total the chant has 49 couplets (however not all are sung during weddings) and is considered para-liturgical. The chant is sung after the wedding Holy Qurbana (East Syriac Liturgy) of Knanaya Christians is concluded and is chanted by priests and all laymen present. After Bar Maryam is sung the priests sprinkle the newly wedded couple with Holy Water and conclude the ceremony.
Bar Mariam is a distinct East Syriac chant of the East Syriac Church. The Knanaya Catholics use this chant during their wedding ceremonies. The Knanaya are an ethnic-group found within the Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala and are said to be the descendants of Judeo-Christians who migrated to India in the 4th century. The chant was written down for the first time in history by the Knanaya scholar P.U Luke in his text “Puratana Pattukal” or Ancient Songs in 1910.
In 1944 the Syro Malabar priest and writer Joseph Kurmankan ridiculed the Knanaya community for singing Bar Mariam at the conclusion of their wedding ceremonies. Kurmankan stated that the singing of Bar Mariam as a wedding custom was not a tradition found among the Saint Thomas Christians and claimed it to be an improper tradition among the Knanaya.
Since then, the revered Syro Malabar priest and scholar Placid J. Podipara (1899-1985) gave the following description of the chant:
"There is a hymn called “Bar Mariam” (the Son of Mary) which is sung as “paraliturgical” by priests and people at the end of the wedding ceremonies of the Southist (Knanaya Catholic) community of the Chaldeo-Malabar rite. This community traces its origin traditionally to a foreign colony that settled down in Malabar in the 4th century. The hymn is in the Syro-Chaldean language and is translated into the Malayalam characters for the benefit of those who do not know the Syro-Chaldean characters."
The Knanaya Catholic maintain this chant solely for weddings. It is sung after the conclusion of the wedding Holy Qurbana (East Syriac Liturgy) and is chanted by priests and laymen together. After the chant is over the priests bless the newly weds and sprinkle them with holy water.
Son of Mary, son of MaryMary brought forth the Son of God
ܐܵܘܥܝܼ ܣܵܘܟܹܐ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܐܲܝܟ ܢܒ݂ܝܘܼܬ݂ܵܐ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary brought forth branches,According to the prophecy
ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܒܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܝܸܠܕܲܬ݂ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary, son of MaryMary brought forth the Son of God
ܩܲܕܸܫ ܡܲܝܵܐ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܒܡܲܥܡܘܿܕܝܼܬ݂ܹܗ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary sanctified the watersBy his baptism.
ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܒܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܝܸܠܕܲܬ݂ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary, son of MaryMary brought forth the Son of God
ܫܲܕܲܪ ܪܘܼܚܵܐ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܦܵܪܲܩܠܹܛܵܐ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary sent the Spirit,The Paraclete.
ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܒܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܝܸܠܕܲܬ݂ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary, son of MaryMary brought forth the Son of God
ܐܸܟܲܠ ܦܸܨܚܵܐ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܥܲܡ ܬܲܠܡܝܼܕܲܘܗܝ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary at the Passover meal,With his disciples
ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܒܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܝܸܠܕܲܬ݂ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary, son of MaryMary brought forth the Son of God
ܫܘܼܒ݂ܚܵܐ ܠܲܫܡܵܟ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܡ݂ܢ ܟܘܿܠ ܦܘܼܡܝܼܢ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary sent the Holy Spirit,The Paraclete
ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܒܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܝܸܠܕܲܬ݂ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary, son of MaryMary brought forth the Son of God
ܠܥܵܠܲܡ ܥܲܠܡܝܼܢ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܐܵܡܹܝܢ ܘܐܵܡܹܝܢ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary glory be to you name from every mouth,forever and ever amen
ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ ܒܲܪ ܡܲܪܝܲܡܒܲܪ ܐܲܠܵܗܵܐ ܝܸܠܕܲܬ݂ ܡܲܪܝܲܡ
Son of Mary, son of MaryMary brought forth the Son of God