Inclusion of Isaac the Syrian in Roman Martyrology ‘a wonderful step forward'

Earlier this month, Pope Francis announced that Isaac the Syrian, a 7th century desert-dwelling mystic and hermit, and a saint of the Church of the East, would be added to the Roman Martyrology.

St Isaac had long been renowned for the beauty and power of his spiritual writings, but until now not been officially venerated outside his native Church of the East - an ancient Christian body indigenous to modern day Iraq and Iran, which split from the rest of Christianity after the Council of Ephesus in 431.