Mark 7:34

Sighed] moved by the afflictions of humanity. Ephphatha] Here, as often, St. Mark, following St. Peter, preserves the actual Aramaic expression of our Lord: cp. Mark 5:41.

The ceremony of 'opening the ears,' i.e. touching them with saliva and saying ʾEphphatha, Be opened,' was introduced into the Baptismal service probably in the 4th cent.