Academic year 2026/2027
Overview
The Mahlietay program is designed for devoted participants who wish to study the chants and hymns composed and arranged by Saint Yared. The course lasts for a period of 4 years. The languages of instruction and interaction in this course are Tigrigna and Amharic. This module does not require proficiency in Swedish or English.
The chants and hymns in the Mahlietay program require an extended period of study and enculturation. This is true especially for those without prior knowledge of the chants and hymns. For this reason, a substantial amount of time will be allocated to the study of the chants.
These modules are part of the program: Dogmatic Theology, Biblical Studies, Ge’ez Level One – Level Three, Ziema Level Three, Ecclesiology, Liturgics, Patrology, Church History I, Church History II, Canon Law and Church Administration, and Homiletics.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the course, the participants are (individually and collectively) expected to be able to:
- play traditional hymnic instruments in group settings, developing skills through collaborative practice;
- explain the historical and theological meanings of hymns, connecting them to both tradition and contemporary life;
- connect liturgical texts with both personal experience and community worship, showing how they enrich each other; and
- document their journey with sacred music, describing how collective performance has revealed spiritual dimensions they couldn’t discover through individual study alone.
Learning Approach
At Sankt Ignatios Folkhögskola, the overarching principle that guides learning is that all knowledge is intersubjective.
Knowledge is dialogue, which requires humility and empathy.
This program is built on collaborative and dialogical learning where participants actively shape not only their common learning journey but also the courses themselves. The content, materials, and methods will be adapted in real time based on participants’ needs, interests, and input. Beyond mastering subject matter, a central goal is for each participant to become aware of how shared learning experiences and dialogue transforms their thinking, practice and identity. Through dialogue, narrative, group discussions, shared reflection, creative expression, and collective exploration, participants develop awareness of their own growth while supporting others’ development. The learning community becomes a space where everyone’s experiences and questions not only enrich understanding but actively guide the direction of the course, helping each person to integrate learning into their own life context in meaningful, personally transformative ways.
The Deans Council revised the syllabus on 14 January, 2026.