The Harp is the scholarly journal of Syriac, Oriental, and Ecumenical studies published by the St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute (SEERI) in Kottayam, India. The Harp publishes articles and book reviews from scholars of Eastern Christianity from around the world. The present volume is a Part I of a two volume Festschrift for Jacob Thekeparampil and contains: “A Note on Syriac Studies in Japan” by H. Takahashi, “Die Ambivalenz der Präsenz der Russen in Urmia” by M. Tamcke, “Dionysius bar Salibi’s Syriac Polemical Treatise” by R. Ebied, “Paradise-Church and the Kingdom in St. Ephrem’s Hymns on Paradise VI” by T. Kollamparampil, “The Dialogue between the Two Thieves” by S. P. Brock, “The Name of God in Syriac Anaphoras” by M. Lugmayr, “The Syrian Origin of the Divine Condescension” by S. Muto, “Two Syriac Writers from the Reign of Anastasius” by J. W. Watt, “A Short Analysis of the Definition of Chalcedon and Some Reflections” by T. Hainthaler, “Two Syriac Inscriptions Commemorating Maferians,” by A. Harrak, “Reverting the God-Given Order: Sarah and the Mother of the First-Born in Aphrahat’s Demonstrations” by C. Horn, and other articles and book reviews dealing with various issues of Syriac and Eastern Christianity.