The displayed book is dedicated to the life and work of Saint Ephrem the Syrian (306–373), a teacher of the Christian faith, writer, theologian, ascetic, poet, and hymnographer. Saint Ephrem spent his entire life in Mesopotamia, a region in Central Asia that is now divided between Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. This teacher of the Christian faith was Syrian and wrote in the Syriac language. During his lifetime, his writings were already translated into Greek. Saint Ephrem is known for his prayer “O Lord and Master of My Life” which is read before the Great Lent and encourages Christians to seek spiritual renewal.

Since ancient times, the Church has greatly appreciated the works of Saint Ephrem. According to its regulations, some of his writings are read during Lent. Saint Silouan the Athonite said that Saint Ephrem is a precious and eternal treasure for the whole world, even though the world often does not want to hear about it and often kills its prophets.

The monks of the Sarov Monastery respected and obeyed the teachings of Ephrem the Syrian. His ascetic life and writings were an excellent example for Russian monks to follow.

In a letter to Hieromonk Ephrem, the abbot of the Sarov Monastery, Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk wrote, 

The sixth abbot of Sarov, Hieromonk Ephrem, stood out for his monastic asceticism, patience, firmness in facing temptations, and unwavering trust in God’s Providence.

The book is marked with a stamp of the Sarov Monastery Library. The stamp is oval-shaped, with an inscription along its edge that says, “LIBRARY OF THE SAROV MONASTERY.” In the center of the stamp, there is a triangle with a shining eye in the middle, symbolizing the three hypostases of God and the Divine Omniscience, or the “All-Seeing Eye.”

The Sarov Monastery collected its library over two centuries. It was organized by John, the monastery’s founder. In the mid-18th century, his successor Hieromonk Ephrem compiled a copy of the Psalms and a manuscript of the Cenobitic Regulations for the Sarov Monastery.

In the early 20th century, the library held around 10,000 volumes, including over 700 manuscripts and old printed books. It was located on the second floor of a bell tower.