Saint Yared (Ge'ez: ቅዱስ ያሬድ; April 5, 525 AD – May 11, 571 AD) was a legendary musician from the Telemt, Gonder, credited with inventing the sacred music Tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Eritrean Orthodox Church and Ethiopia's system of musical notation. He is responsible for creating the Zema or the chant tradition of Ethiopia, particularly the chants of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which are still performed today. He is regarded as a saint of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church with a feast day of 11 Genbot (May 19).
Yared was born on Miazia(April) 5, 525 AD in the village of Gonder Telemt to Abyud (Isaac) and Tawklia. His parents were born and raised in Telemt. His father died when he was seven, and his mother sent him to be raised by his uncle Gidewon/the Known Gonder, a priest who was the Gebez (Treaurer) in Gonder. School was hard for Young Yared. He never understood the Psalms of David. Because of his terrible weakness in school, he was confronted with his angry uncle at home and occasional physical punishment. Young Yared tried to learn and understand the teachings of the church for over seven years, but he always failed. He was tired of the anger and punishment and life was becoming difficult for him.
One day, young Yared ran away to his mother mount Ras Dejen/Telemt direction. He traveled for the entire day and he came to rest under a tree. He was crying and painfully hungry. In the middle of his anger and frustration, young Yared noticed a small insect trying to climb the tree. The insect tried once, it failed. Tried the second time, it failed again. The insect tried to climb the tree six times and it failed. By the seventh time it succeeded to climb the tree and ate the fruits. Young Yared learnt a great wisdom of God through the little insect. He went back running to his uncle. He apologized for his behavior. He started school the next day. He finished 150 Psalms of David, the books Prophets, and King Solomon including the translations and the laws of the church.
A legend describes Yared gaining musical insight and talent through interaction with three birds, which inspired him to link the spiritual with the musical through the blending of musical characteristics to which he attached the Ethiopian words Ge’ez, Izil, and Ararary.
Yared arranged and composed hymns connected to religious celebrations and holidays, introducing the concept of sacred music to Ethiopian Orthodox services. This music, claim Debtera, is the basis of their performances.
