Mar (title)

Mar (Classical Syriac: ܡܪܝ Mār(y), written with a silent final yodh; Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: מָר), also Mor in Western Syriac, is an Aramaic word meaning "lord". The corresponding feminine forms in Syriac are Morth and Marth for "lady" (Syriac: ܡܪܬܝ, Mārt(y)).

It is a title of reverence in Syriac Christianity, where the title is placed before the Christian name, as in Mar Aprem / Mor Afrem for Ephrem the Syrian, and Marth / Morth Maryam for St Mary. It is given to all saints and is also used in instead of "Most Reverend", just before the name in religion taken by bishops.^[1]^[2]^[3] The title of Moran Mor / Maran Mar is given to the Catholicoi and other primates; and the title Mar / Mor is given to prelates such as metropolitan bishops or archbishops.

^ Brock S. P., An Introduction to Syriac Studies, Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2006, p. 1 ISBN 978-1-59333-349-2: "Mor (or Mar) is an honorific title used both for bishops and for saints".
^ Baarda T. J. (1962). "A Syriac Fragment of Mar Epheraem's Commentary on the Diatessaron". New Testament Studies. 8 (4). Cambridge University Press: 287–300. doi:10.1017/S0028688500007931. S2CID 170111873. Mar, literally 'My Lord', a usual title of ecclesiastics and saints. This title always occurs in the commentaries when the Commentary of Ephraem is referred to
^ Dodd, Erica, The Frescoes of Mar Musa al-Habashi, Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 2001, p. 23. — 202 p. — ISBN 978-0-88844-139-3: "It was pointed out that the title 'Mar' or Saint is commonly used for prophets as well as saints (See above, p. 15. In the second Syriac inscription, Appendix I, the title is used for Bishop Diskoros)"