Assyrian Post

Assyrian Delegation Participates in International Congress on the Anaphora of Mar Addai & Mar Mari

2011-12-02T10:32:00.000-08:00

Assyrian Delegation Participates in International Congress on the Anaphora of Mar Addai & Mar Mari

Modesto Cathedral Rebuilds and Consecrates Altar Following Fire

2011-12-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

Modesto Cathedral Rebuilds and Consecrates Altar Following Fire

Young Christian in Kirkuk Abducted, Tortured and Beheaded

2011-05-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

[http://www.asianews.it]

Ashur Yacob Issa, 29, was the father of three children. He was abducted on the weekend. Negotiations for his release failed. Yesterday morning police found his body, which bore “horrific marks of torture”. In voicing his outrage, the archbishop of Kirkuk slammed this “inhuman act,” urging everyone to work together to “protect defenceless citizens”.

Kirkuk (AsiaNews) – An Iraqi Christian man was abducted, tortured and then beheaded. The victim was from Kirkuk, northern Iraq. Police found his body this morning. He had been kidnapped three days ago and the family had received a ransom request. However, negotiations for his release did not work out and so he was brutally murdered. For the archbishop of Kirkuk, his death is an “inhuman act” because it goes “against every human and religious principle”. Iraqi Christians have been living in a state of high tension since the killing of Osama Bin Laden, fearing possible revenge by local Muslim extremists.
Ashur Yacob Issa was 29 years old and had three children, a source in Kirkuk told AsiaNews. He was abducted three days ago for ransom. His kidnappers wanted US$ 100,000 to release him. However, negotiations with his family “did not work out”, a local Christian said.

The incident came to a terrible end this morning, when police found the young man’s body, by the side of a bridge. The body showed “horrific marks of torture”, the source said. The head had been cut off and the eyes gauged out of their socket.

The crime sent a shockwave through the city, especially in its Christian community. although the victim was kidnapped in order to get a large sum of money, the death of Osama Bin Laden by the US on 2 May has raised the tension level in the Christian community. Since then in fact, it has been living in fear of possible reprisals by Muslim extremists.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Mgr Louis Sako, archbishop of Kirkuk, condemned the murder of the young man, calling it an “inhuman act” that goes against “every human and religious principle”.

“No man who believes in God and respects life can commit such acts,” the prelate said.

Now Mgr Sako’s concern is for the widow and her fatherless children.

However, in a warning to the perpetrators of this act, the archbishop said, “Let them think about those who are left without a father and a husband. Even if human justice is not done, divine justice shall, sooner or later”.

Lastly, the archbishop of Kirkuk called on police and security forces officials, both local and national, to undertake joint action “so that all people of good will can work together to protect defenceless citizens.”

A Response to Cor-Bishop Felix Shabi

2010-12-07T17:03:00.000-08:00

By: Rev. Fr. Genard Lazar

December 3, 2010

In his recent article dated November 26, 2010 entitled “Does the Assyrian Church Understand the Sacrament of Priesthood” (Arabic) and published on the internet [1], Rev. Cor-bishop Felix Shabi attacks the Assyrian Church of the East for the recent ‘Statement of Clarification’ published by the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East (dated 11 November 2010), through its Secretary His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California. [2] Cor-bishop Shabi vehemently condemns the Holy Synod’s declaration in rather derogatory terms and a demeanor not befitting a clergyman, a purported canonist, and certainly not an episcopal vicar. This article will deal with the points raised in Fr. Shabi’s interesting article on the Internet.

First and foremost: for a clergyman who claims to be the assistant of the Chaldean bishop of the Diocese of San Diego to not know the official title of the Assyrian Church of the East is truly stunning. Cor-bishop Shabi, get it right: the name of our Church is: The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East! Even your patriarch, His Beatitude Mar Emmanuel III Delly, when writing to His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV always refers to us as the Assyrian Church of the East (‘Kanisat ul-Mashriq al-Ashuriya’); if your patriarch knows how to nominate our Church, then how comes it that you do not, dear cor-bishop and canonist??? The term you use in Arabic (“Al-Athuriya”) is reminiscent of the oppressive regime of Sadam Hussein and co-partisans who, in order to deny the existence of the modern Assyrians and to denigrate the Assyrian Church of the East, systematically referred to us as “Athuriyeen” or “Kanisat al-Athuriya”, as opposed to “Al-Ashuriyeen” or “Kanisat ul-Mashriq al- Ashuriya.” Therefore, kindly tell us whether you subscribe to this policy of Sadam and the Baathists, or whether you simply intend on deriding the Assyrian Church by utilizing this nomenclature; I’m sure the readers of both articles will be interested to know your opinion.

Further, your use of the term “New Calendar” after nominating the Church of the East (twice!) is also taken as an affront, because it is obvious that you aim at proclaiming that this is the Church of the East which is split according to the calendar (i.e. Gregorian and Julian), an event which took place in 1968. Well, why don’t you go a little farther back into history? Remember what happened in 1552, dear cor-bishop??? In canonical terms, that is called a ‘schism.’ Being a canonist, you should indeed know these things. Whether the Church of the East is split according to the calendar, or not, is utterly none of your business!

You must remember, dear cor-bishop, that His Holiness the Pope of Rome himself to whom you and your Church owes allegiance has repeatedly recognized His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV as the head of the Assyrian Church of the East and the heir of that ancient liturgical and theological tradition, most especially in his welcome to the Patriarch and his delegation at the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, at the General Audience on Wednesday, November 9, 1994, two days before the signing of the Common Christological Declaration on November 11; the pope declared: “Today I have the honor and the joy to have next to me a special guest, who comes from afar. He is a brother whom I welcome in the love of Christ—the Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, accompanied by three bishops, members of the Holy Synod of his Church. He is the leader of one of the most ancient and venerable Churches of the East. The language adopted by it in the liturgy is the closest to the language in which Jesus expressed himself.” Later, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI declared at the Vatican on June 21, 2007, during the meeting between the pope and His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV: “The Assyrian Church of the East is rooted in ancient lands whose names are associated with the history of God's saving plan for all mankind. At the time of the early Church, the Christians of these lands made a remarkable contribution to the spread of the Gospel, particularly through their missionary activity in the more remote areas of the East.” These words are brought to your attention, dear cor-bishop, just so that you are made aware of the estimation of the last two popes in regards to the Assyrian Church of the East and her patriarch.

Now, on to the more theological and canonical matters. You speak about the Assyrian Church of the East’s ‘ignorance’ as to the meaning of the sacrament of priesthood, and hence the title of your article ‘Does the Assyrian Church of the East understand the meaning of the sacrament of priesthood?’ The theological understanding of this particular sacrament includes both a theological and a canonical discussion. Now, it is well noted that the sacrament of ‘Holy Orders’ in the Latin theological is indelible, meaning that once given (validly), they imposed a spiritual ‘mark’ on the soul that cannot be erased. You mentioned cor-bishop that in your studies on dogma, you learned that the following sacraments are indelible according to the Latin tradition: 1) baptism 2) confirmation 3) holy orders. Although I am very glad to learn that in the Latin theological and sacramental system the priesthood imprints an indelible mark on the soul of the one ordained, however, you must know be aware of and recognize that this issue of the suspension and excommunication of Ashur Soro is based on the theological and sacramental system of the Assyrian Church of the East, and not that of the Latin West or the Roman Catholic Church. Again, although in the Latin tradition ordination imparts an indelible mark, that is not the case in the theology of the Church of the East.

Now, let us ask: what is the meaning and importance of the sacrament of priesthood for the Assyrian Church of the East? First, Mar Abdisho of Nisibis (d. 1318) mentions in his Marganitha (Part IV, Chapter II), states the priesthood is the most important prerequisite for any valid sacrament in the Church, he who has “…attained the priesthood rightly, according to the requirements of the Church. ”This is very important, and it means only he can be called a priest who has attained the priesthood (i.e. has been ordained) legitimately and canonically. Why is that an important point? Because the priesthood, according to the theology of Mar Narsai, is the office/faculty of mediation between God and man, and the priest is the instrument of the Holy Spirit in effecting the sacraments (rendering them spiritually efficacious and valid) and in administering them to the faithful for their salvation and as means of God’s grace to us.

In the sacramental, liturgical and canonical tradition of the Assyrian Church of the East, the function of the ordained priesthood and its liturgical/sacramental ministry is only understood and can only operate within the context of the holy Church. This was already proclaimed in the liturgical theology of Mar Narsai of Nisibis (399-502) who refers to the sacraments as the ‘Sacraments of the Church’ and who call the priest the ‘vessel/instrument of the Holy Spirit,’ in that it the Holy Spirit himself who acts in and effects the sacraments, while the priest is only the vessel in the hands of the Spirit. Therefore, priesthood and the function of all of the grades of priestly ministry can only function within the Church, and as a communion of the ordained with and at the head of the Body of Christ which is the Church. Once you are out of the Church, you are out of that theological, liturgical and sacramental communion. For the simple question is: ‘If you are outside the bounds and communion of the Church, where and how will you exercise your priesthood and its ministerial function?’ You are a priest as long as you area minister in and of the Church. The early ecumenical councils already determined and decreed that presbyters and deacons were not to be ordained except for a specific parish (whether urban or rural), or shrine of the martyrs. In like manner, no bishop may be ordained except for a specific diocese. All you have to do, dear cor-bishop, is open the Takhsa d-Syamida and see that in the ordination of deacons, presbyters and bishops (and their various sub--‐ rankings), the archdeacon proclaims the name of the one being ordained and declares for what diocese or parish or city the candidate is being ordained. During the deacon’s ordination, the archdeacon proclaims: “Lift up your eyes to the highest heights, and beseech mercy from God the compassionate, for NN. the sub-deacon who is ordained and ordered deacon for the Church of God to which he is set apart…” [3] Similarly, for the priest’s ordination it is proclaimed by the archdeacon: “Lift up your eyes to the highest heights, and beseech mercy from God the compassionate, for NN. the deacon, who is ordained and ordered presbyter for the Church of God to which he is set apart…” [4] Finally, and most importantly, to illustrate the point that the three grades of the clergy are ordained for and assigned to a particular ecclesial community wherein they may exercise their priesthood, during the consecration of bishops in the rite of the Church of the East, the archdeacon again proclaims: “Lift up your minds to the highest heights, and beseech mercy from God the compassionate, for NN. the presbyter and hermit who is ordained and ordered bishop for the city of NN. (or for the Church of God in the country of NN.), and for all the territory to which he is set apart; pray for him…”

Early on, Nicea declared that there were to be no vagabond clergy. Therefore, one who has been deposed from the clerical state, laicized and excommunicated ceases to function as a minister of Christ and as a minister and vessel of the Holy Spirit in the Church, for the ministry of the edification and sanctification of the baptized faithful. If he is outside of the communion of the Holy Church and the absolving Mysteries, how then can he be considered to have an indelible mark upon his soul? What will he do with that indelible mark? In what manner will he make use of it and how will it function? For this reason, the ecclesiology of both the Assyrian Church of the East and the Eastern Orthodox Churches do not admit the ‘indelible mark’ for the priesthood.

Once a cleric has been deposed or excommunicated, he can no longer make use of the name, dignity or function of the priesthood. To say that notwithstanding all of this, the ordination which he has received is ‘indelible’ is indeed a moot point. Why, because simply the deposed cleric can never function again in the priesthood, and in the canonical tradition of the Assyrian Church of the East even if he were to be forgiven, he could only enter the church as a layman and receive Communion (unless, of course, he were found guilty of heresy, in which case he would be anathematized). In the famous case where the Patriarch Mar Aba I ‘the Great’ (540-552) restored order in the Church after the schism that occurred between Narsai and Elisha the anti-patriarchs who preceded Mar Paul the Patriarch, the schismatic bishop Timai bar Dadisho (a bishop in the province of Prath Maishan), was deposed by Mar Aba I in his Synod of 544. The acta of this Synod read: “Just as Timai bar Dadisho, who became an evil servant in the Church of God, by means of the divisions and strifes which he caused, they (Mar Aba and the bishops in communion with him) bound, deposed and separated from the rank, ministry, title and the entire administration of the episcopacy forever…” [5]

Further instances of the ‘loosening’ and ‘deposition’ of the clergy from all priestly dignity and ranking can be seen in canons 3 and 5 of the Synod of Mar Yosip the Catholicos (554 AD). [6]

Yet another instance of the ‘loosening’ from holy orders can be seen in the Collection of Synodical Canons of Mar Abdisho of Nisibis, where it is indicated that a priest, cor-bishop or archdeacon who is elected and called to the episcopacy and does not submit may be prohibited from mixing with the community of the faithful (though, this is not the case for a layman who is called to the episcopacy). The reason for this is because the three grades of the priesthood noted above, once given (through ordination) cannot be loosed “except by death or by transgression [of the canons];” see Memra 8, Chapter [7].

The Canon 68 of the collection known as the Apostolic Canons forbids the repeating of an ordination for the same person, however, this does not amount to a declaration of the ‘indelibility’ of the priestly office. In fact, the concept that ordination imparts an ‘indelible mark’ is really a concoction of the Scholastic theologians of the West, and was only formally pronounced by the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent (also known as the ‘Catholic Counter-Reformation’). It is, therefore, an ecclesial gift, charism and ministry, and does not impart an ontological change on the soul of the ordained.

At this point, it would seem quite necessary to bring forth to light some canons of the Eastern Catholic Churches, under which our sister Chaldean Catholic Church would function. As you are aware, being a student of canon law, the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches was promulgated by the late Pope John Paul II on October 18, 1990. I refer here to the bi-lingual Latin and English edition published by the ‘Canon Law Society of America.’ These canons, as the readers will see as well, clearly indicate that a cleric (whether bishop or priest) once stripped of the clerical status or deposed from the clerical state ceases to function as such.

First, let us look at what the code of canon law which governs all of the Eastern Catholic Churches has to say in regards to a cleric losing his clerical status in the Catholic Church. Let me list these canons for your dear cor-bishop:

1. Canon 394, par. 2: “A cleric, however, loses the clerical state…by the legitimate infliction of the penalty of dismissal…” [7]

2. Canon 395: “A cleric loses the clerical state according to the norms of the law, loses with it the rights proper to the clerical state nor is he further bound by the obligations of the clerical state without prejudice, however, to cann. 396 (he may not be dispensed from celibacy); he is forbidden to exercise the power of order without prejudice to cann. 725 [the possibility to absolve sinners] and 735, par. 2 [the possibility to hear confessions]; he is by the law itself deprived of all offices, ministries, functions and any delegated power. ” [8]

3. Canon 1433, par. 2: “A cleric deposed from the clerical state is deprived of all offices, ministries or other functions, ecclesiastical pensions and any delegated power; he becomes disqualified for them; he is forbidden to exercise the power of orders; he cannot be promoted to higher holy orders, and is equivalent to lay persons in respect to canonical affairs…” [9]
Second, let us take a look at what the canons of the Eastern Catholic Churches say in regards to excommunication:
1. Canon 1434, par. 1: “In addition to all things mentioned in can. 1431, par. 1, a major excommunication forbids one to receive other sacraments, to administer sacraments and sacramentals, to exercise any offices, ministries and functions, to place acts of governance, which if they are nonetheless placed, are null by law itself.” [10]

2. Canon 1434, par. 2: “One punished with a major excommunication is to be turned away from participating in the Divine Liturgy and in other public celebrations of divine worship.” [11]

3. Canon 1434, par. 3: “One punished with a major excommunication is forbidden to make use of privileges previously granted. He cannot validly obtain dignities, offices, ministries, or any other function in the Church or a pension, and he cannot acquire the revenues attached to them…” [12]
Third, the other matter of importance is the fact that Ashur Soro was not subordinate to the authority of the Catholicos-Patriarch as his immediate superior, nor to the Holy Synod (all of the bishops of the Church in communion and being presided over by the catholicos-patriarch) as the legislative body of the Church. Again, in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, the canon against insubordination states:
1. Canon 1437: “One who refuses subjection to the supreme authority of the Church, or who is subject to it refuses communion with the Christian faithful, though legitimately admonished does not obey, is to be punished as a schismatic with a major excommunication.” [13]

2. Canon 1466: “One who disobeys his own hierarch when the latter legitimately issues orders or prohibitions, and who after a warning persists in such disobedience, is to be punished as delinquent with an appropriate penalty.” [14]

3 Canon 1447, par. 1: “One who incites sedition and hatred toward any hierarch whatsoever or provokes his subjects to disobedience, is to be punished with an appropriate penalty, not excluding major excommunication, especially if the offense was committed against a patriarch (or indeed against the Roman Pontiff).” [15]
Looking at the above-mentioned canons from the code promulgated by the pope for the Eastern Catholic Churches themselves, dear cor-bishop, let us apply these canons to the case of Ashur Soro.

Soro was suspended by the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East on November 11, 2005 for refusing to submit to the authority of the Catholicos-Patriarch as the head of the Church, and to the whole body of the Holy Synod as the legislating body of the Church. According to the canon laws of the Assyrian Church of the East, any sacramental act carried out by a suspended cleric is null and void. The distinction in the tradition of the Latin West, that a sacrament celebrated by a suspended cleric is valid but illicit (illegal, canonically speaking) does not exist in the canonical tradition of the Assyrian Church of the East. Since you claim to be a canonist, you should be aware of the “Sources” (fonti) of the canons contained in the Eastern Code and of which the Chaldean Catholic Church claims to lay hold to! Even if Soro claimed that his suspension was not just, which it most certainly was, then Canon 23 of the Synod of Patriarch Mar Yosip (554 AD) would apply: “Again, it was the will of the council of bishops that when a deacon is suspended by a presbyter, or a presbyter is suspended by his visitor, or a visitor by a chorepiscopus, or a chorepiscopus by a bishop, or a bishop by a metropolitan, or a metropolitan by the patriarch, even if it is claimed that he who is suspended was suspended improperly, nevertheless the suspension should be observed with diligence. He who was suspended should remain in his binding and seek judgment in the council of the community before those who are higher in rank than the one who bound and the one bound…” In any case, Soro was to remain under the ecclesiastical penalty of suspension (Kilyana), until the next Synod would re-examine his case, were he to appeal the former suspension.

The Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East took the next step of formally deposing Ashur Soro from the rank of episcopacy, and depriving him of all ecclesiastical faculties and honor, in its decree of excommunication and laicization dated October 31, 2008. The decree of excommunication and deposition from the priesthood (Qatharasis) reads: “The suspended bishop Ashur Andrious Soro is hereby pronounced entirely excommunicated and stripped of the episcopal office and of all priestly dignity which he had received in the Assyrian Church of the East. From henceforth, he is utterly laicized and retains absolutely no canonical or spiritual right or privilege of any other sort in the Assyrian Church of the East.” What this meant was that from the date of the Decree of Qatharasis (Oct. 31, 2008), Soro was officially declared to be a layman in the Church. The Synod had given him almost 3 whole years to offer his repentance before God and the Church, in the hopes that he might be forgiven; but alas, it was to no avail! The decree of deposition pronounced on Soro is binding permanently (whereas the suspension would have been temporary, had Soro repented). The canon laws of the Assyrian Church of the East regarding Qatharasis are very clear; to name but a few:
1. “Qatharais is the deposition from the clerical state, [as] one who is dead who does not receive life, and is only to be decreed concerning priests and the head of priests (i.e. bishops), and the one who is given Qatharasis, he shall not be clad with the dignity of which he formerly had, even after his repentance, at all” (Collection of Synodical Canons of Mar Abdisho of Nisibis: Part II, Memra I, Chapter 22).

2. “Concerning those who are anathematized, excommunicated, and utterly dismissed from the ministry of their priesthood, that they may not be received. A bishop, then, or a metropolitan who once has been cut off and cast out by the great Synod, or a presbyter or deacon by their bishop in a council of priests and deacons, as those who have been tried and convicted for their faults, no longer ought to be admitted to the ministry of which they were justly stripped, and there may no longer be mercies for them—nor, indeed, when they go creeping round about and pestering and making helpers for themselves. There may not be helpers for them, and there may not be for them a hope of being accepted, nor may a place for compassion be found for them. The prior confusions which came about through the rebellious and worthless may no longer be, such a brought about the confusion of the divine laws and paternal canons. Those who are excommunicated and dismissed by the sentence which once went out against them from the great synod may not again be admitted in ecclesiastical assemblies by another synod, but all those as well who fellowship with them or help them shall receive the censure and suspension naturally fitting to them, especially (if), after having learned the judgment which went out against them, they still venture to assist them. This edict concerning these things was decreed also in an earlier synod by the blessed fathers” (Synod of Patriarch Mar Isho’yahb I, 587 AD, Canon 18).
Further, we read in the Synodicon Orientale (‘Eastern Synods’), that those clerics (in particular bishops) who have been bound, deposed and utterly laicized, they may continue to receive the Holy Eucharist only if they offer their penance and repent before the whole Church, to the satisfaction of and with a decree by the Holy Synod: “…may he be loosed and void from all the ranks of the priesthood, and may he be bound also from ecclesiastical fellowship until he offers repentance and it is seen to the Synod of Bishops, and he [may be] absolved unto the communion of the Holy Mysteries” (Synod of Patriarch Mar Yosip of 554 AD; Canon 5). [16]

As seen above, one who has been excommunicated and deposed from the priesthood of the Church ought not to be accepted by others. Further, even if he were to repent, he would only be accepted as a layman in the Church, and not as one in holy orders. Concluding, dear cor-bishop Felix, you should be aware of the patristic patrimony of your Church. Furthermore, you should know, if your purport to be a canonist, that the Assyrian Church of the East or any other Church not in full communion with Rome will judge canonical matters according to canons proper to that Church’s juridical and theological traditions. It is sincerely hoped that this brief rebuttal to the remarks of Cor-bishop Shabi will be sufficient to put to ease the concerns of the faithful of the Assyrian Church of the East, and our Chaldean Catholic brethren who have read our Holy Synod’s Statement of Clarification. Finally, the ultimate raison d’etre for the Statement was to assure all of the faithful of both Churches that the official status of Ashur Soro is that he has been deposed from all clerical dignity and excommunicated by his hierarchy, and that the Chaldean faithful should beware of receiving the sacraments from a deposed and excommunicated cleric.

References:
[1] Refer to: http://kaldaya.net/2010/Articles/11_November_2010/42_Nov26_FrFelixShabi.html
[2] Refer to the official English text at: http://news.assyrianchurch.com/clarification-from-the-secretariat-of¬the-holy-synod/789
[3] Kthawa d-Takse Kumraye [Chaldean Pontifical], (Rome, 1957), p. 135.
[4] Ibid., p. 157-158.
[5] JEAN BAPTISTE CHABOT, Synodicon Orientale, ou recueil de synods nestoriens (Paris, 1902), p. 71. See the parallel Arabic version in: YOUSIF HABBI, Majami’ Kanisat al-Mashreq [Councils of the Church of the East], (Kaslik, Lebanon: 1999) p. 241, especially point 10.
[6] op. cit. , p. 99-100 and 94; ibid., p. 302 (number 19).
[7] JOHN PAUL II, Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches [Latin-English Edition], Canon Law Society of America, English Translation (Washington D.C., 1990) p. 203.
[8] Ibid., p. 203.
[9] Ibid., pp. 684-685.
[10] Ibid., p. 685.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid., p. 687.
[14] Ibid., p. 689.
[15] Ibid.
[16] CHABOT, Synodicon Orientale, p. 100; HABBI, Majami’, p. 302.

الفنان مالك البابلي فاجعة الكنيسه

2010-11-09T12:34:00.000-08:00

Press Release Of The Holy Synod Of The Assyrian Church Of the East Regarding "THE RECENT TRAGIC EVENTS IN BAGHDAD"

2010-11-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

PRESS RELEASE OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST REGARDING THE RECENT TRAGIC EVENTS IN BAGHDAD.

Mourners attend funerals of Iraq church attack.

2010-11-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

2010-11-09T10:14:00.000-08:00

It is with deep sorrow to report that on Sunday October 31, 2010, more than 58 innocent and defenseless people were killed and over 70 severely injured during an attempt by Iraqi security forces to free more than a hundred Christians which were detained by gunmen linked to Al Qaieda. This tragic event took place during Sunday evening Mass in one of the largest churches in Baghdad, near the heavily fortified Green Zone.

According to the SITE Institute, Al-Qaida's the Islamic State of Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack. The radical group has said all Christians in the Middle East are "legitimate targets".

"We will open upon them the doors of destruction and rivers of blood," the insurgent group said in a statement posted late Tuesday on militant websites.

Among those killed were at least five women, more than seven children and two priests, according to officals and witnesses. Among the injured were at least ten women, eight children and a priest.

"They entered the church with their weapons, wearing military uniforms. They came into the prayer hall, and immediately killed the priest... We heard a lot of gunfire and explosions, and some people were hurt from falling windows, doors and debris."

One of the freed hostages, an 18 year old man said, declining to give his name, but adding that all the hostages had been huddled into the main prayer hall when the gun battles began with security forces.

Iraq's top Catholic prelate, Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly has encouraged the country's remaining 1.5 million Christians to stay in the country. He called on the authorities for more protection and police and over the past week there has been a boosted military presence around Baghdad's churches.

However, Archbishop Athanasios Dawood said members of Iraq's religious minority should leave the country to escape violence directed at their community, as it appeared certain that insurgents were deliberately targeting church services.

"I say clearly and now that the Christian people should leave their beloved land of our ancestors and escape the premeditated ethnic cleansing. This is better than having them killed one by one," said Dawood, according to prepared remarks he sent to CNN.

Speaking at a service in London, he also asked the British government, and those in other European countries, to grant asylum to Christians living in Iraq.

"The Iraqi government is weak, biased, if not extremist. It does not protect us and the other minorities. It has ignored our legal rights. We ask the British government, the EU and the U.N. to protect us... in order to preserve what is left of the victims who do not carry a weapon to fight and kill," said Dawood.

It is time for President Obama administration as well as all other leaders in the world to take action to protect vulnerable religious minority communities to ensure the safety of Christians in Iraq. Also, we urged the U.N. to adopt a more generous refugee and asylum policy, including the possible resettlement of at-risk cases to the United States and elsewhere in the world.

Mar Narsai Benyamin Consecrated As Bishop Of Iran

2010-09-13T23:02:00.000-07:00

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, accompanied by one Metropolitan and five Bishops, consecrated Cor-Bishop Benyamin as Bishop of Iran. The new Bishop was assigned the episcopal name Mar Narsai Benyamin. The consecration took place in Tehran, Iran on the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross.

For pictures of this memorable event, please see:
http://www.mehrnews.com/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=1150664

18th Annual Assyrian Food Festival in San Jose, CA August 21 and August 22, 2010

2010-08-12T16:29:00.000-07:00

Commemorating All of the Assyrian Martyrs

2010-08-07T00:30:00.000-07:00

August 7th has been designated as a Memorial Day for Assyrian Martyrs. Throughout our history, our Assyrian people have stood up for their religion, language, and national existence, bravely defended our existence even if it meant suffering and giving up their own lives to defend and protect our cultural national existence.

The lesson to be learned is that we need to dedicate ourselves to preserving our language, culture and heritage. Let us honor the Assyrian Martyrs and pray to the Lord to rest their souls and accept the sacrifices they made in the name of Him and the Assyrian nation.

His Grace Mar Awa Visits Arbil

2010-06-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

Ankawa ProZ.com

Here are some pictures from His Grace Mar Awa's visit to Arbil:

http://www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,417293.0.html

Happy Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-09T00:44:00.000-07:00

There is nothing quite like a mother. Throughout time, no one has done so much for so many with such grace. She is selfless, patient, resilient, strong and compassionate, loving and protective, generous and courageous, nurturer and a confidante, leader, resourceful, and much more. But of all the characteristics that combine to make a mother so special, perhaps the greatest of all is her innate capacity to give of herself, not hesitating to sacrifice to make life better for family and others who need to be uplifted. And when all else fails, no matter the circumstances, she's the one you can always count on.

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there!

His Beatitude Mar Narsai De Baz Passed Away

2010-02-14T16:25:00.000-08:00

2010-02-14

It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that we regret to announce the falling asleep in the Lord of His Beatitude Mar Narsai DeBaz, Metropolitan of Lebanon, Syria and Europe of the Assyrian Church of the East. His Beatitude was called to his heavenly home by the Lord at 3:00 pm Pacific Time, in the healthcare facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he was hospitalized for the past week and a half. The late Metropolitan had received the precious Body and Blood of our Lord (Qurbana Qadisha) and Khusaya, as heard the reading of the Sacred Scriptures a few hours before his passing. He was solaced by the prayers of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV and brother prelates present in Phoenix and globally, as well as the prayers of all the faithful and the presence of his family members. The funeral will be conducted at Mar Gewargis Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois (USA) at a date and time that will be announced in the very near future. We ask that you kindly pray for the repose of the soul of the late Metropolitan.

+Mar Awa Royel
Secretary of the Holy Synod

Ceremonies held at the Mar Yohannan Mamdana Church (India) to appoint Joju Anto and Shaju Paulose as Archdeacons

2010-01-16T00:17:00.000-08:00

Thrissur: Joju Anto, 43, and Shaju Paulose, 35, were on Friday appointed as archdeacons at a ceremony held at Mar Yohannan Mamdana Church (India). The Holy Synod of the Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East on Thursday unanimously decided to consecrate them as bishops with the Archdiocese of India. Consecration ceremonies will be held on Sunday.

The Holy Synod, attended by Catholicos Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV and prelates, continued on Friday. Metropolitans Mar Aprem (India), Mar Geevargis Sliwa (Iraq, Russia) and Mar Meelis Zaia (Australia and Newzealand); and Bishops Mar Awa Royel (Diocese of California), Mar Odisho Oraham (Diocese of Europe), Mar Aprem Natneil (Diocese-Syria), Mar Aprim Khamis (Diocese of the United States), Mar Emmanuel Yosip (Diocese of Canada) and Iskhaq Yosip (Diocese of Nohadra and Russia); are attending the Synod.

On Friday, they visited Mar Timotheus Memorial Orphanage and the Bathanya Ashram, and participated in the centenary celebrations of Mar Yohannan Mamdana Church. A reception will be accorded to the clergymen on Sunday. The Synod will continue on Monday and Tuesday.

Source: http://www.hinduonnet.com

For pictures and video, you may check:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyszIF6g43g&feature=player_embedded#

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, arrived to India to participate in the synod of the church

2010-01-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

Thrissur: His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, the Catholicos Patriarch of the Church of the East, arrived in India on Wednesday to participate in the synod of the church.

The Patriarch and bishops from various countries were accorded a warm welcome at the Mart Marium Big Church here. Many believers attended the special prayers held at the church. The synod would begin on Thursday morning.

Three Metropolitans of the Church, Mar Aprem (India), Mar Gewargis Sliwa (Iraq, Russia) and Mar Meelis Zaia (Australia and New Zealand), would attend the synod. Bishops from Europe, Syria, the U.S., Canada and Russia would also participate.

Consecration of two new bishops, Fr. Joju Anto and Fr. Shaju Paulose, would be the main agenda of the synod. Consecration of the bishops-designate as archdeacons would be held at a ceremony led by Archbishop Mar Aprem on Friday.

The Patriarch and other bishops were received at the Cochin international airport by Archbishop Mar Aprem, Trusty Board chairman K. A. Johny and P.C. Chacko MP. The synod would conclude on January 19.

Source: http://www.hinduonnet.com

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2010

2009-12-24T22:23:00.000-08:00

The most precious thing that ever hung on a tree was Jesus Christ. God came to earth as a baby to fulfill the long awaited promise of a Savior. May your heart be lifted in praise this Christmas for the wonderful gift of Jesus and the joy He brings to our lives. Have a wonderful Christmas and a Blessed new year 2010 you all.

St. Mary Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East in Tarzana destroyed in a fire

2009-10-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Sad News - St. Mary Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East in Tarzana destroyed in a fire:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5WzxAweiFI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1eUYtBtgMI

Fire Does Major Damage to Church in Tarzana
KTLA News

Firefighters work to extinguish the church fire amid the smoke. (KTLA Sky 5 / October 16, 2009)

TARZANA -- St. Mary Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East Tarzana sustained significant damage in a fire Friday evening that burned as hundreds of parishioners looked on.

It took 95 firefighters about 25 minutes to put out the blaze, which was reported at 5955 N. Lindley Ave. around 6:35 p.m.

Arriving firefighters reported smoke coming from a stained-glass window at the front of the church, where a big eucalyptus tree also caught fire, according to Devin Gales if the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Most of the damage appeared to be to the front of the church, but firefighters also cut holes in the roof.

A damage estimate was unavailable early Saturday.

No injuries were reported.

The fire will be investigated by the House of Worship Task Force, which was set up years ago to examine a string of fires in predominantly black churches.

The task force includes members of the Los Angeles Fire Department, FBI, Los Angeles Police Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Copyright © 2009, KTLA-TV, Los Angeles

---
Our thoughts and prayers go to all of St Mary’s parish members and all of Assyrian Church of the East members. It is indeed so heartbreaking to see one of our church buildings being destroyed like this. However, we are the church and we will rebuild it again soon. Thank God no one was injured.

Also, we have been informed that Cor-Bishop Fr. Gewargis doesn't believe nor agree that the candles were cause of the fire as the candle lighting area is safe and has been used for several years safely. We also learned that Cor-Bishop Fr. Gewargis was able to save the bread (Malka) that is used to make holy mass every week, which was in the midst of the fire. Thus, the holy bread, was not damaged and was protected by the Holy Spirit.

33rd. Patriarchal Anniversary Of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV

2009-10-17T10:36:00.000-07:00

We offer our congratulations to His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Patriarch Catholicos of the Assyrian Church of the East upon his Anniversary of the Consecration. His Holiness Mar Dinkha is deeply loved and respected by the entire church for his exceptional service, leadership and compassion. May God's blessings be on our beloved Patriarch as he continues the mission of the Holy Church.

Tkhara D' Syameeda H.H.MarDinkha IV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGv04c4O58c&feature=related

Valley school gives young emigres stability and hope

2009-03-29T17:02:00.000-07:00

(DailyNews) "It's sad to think of," 17-year-old Leon Thomasian said last week as he pondered the sixth anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. For the young or the old - regardless of their politics or religion - war dramatically alters destinies, he said.

Leon, who was studying to be a being classically trained as a pianist, didn't touch a piano for years after he and his family fled from Baghdad to Syria. He thought his dreams of performing as a professional had forever slipped through his fingers.

"A person wants something so bad," he said. " And then he has to wait years for it."

Nearly 2.5 million Iraqi refugees continue to struggle to survive outside of their homeland, most of them with temporary permission to remain in Jordan or Syria, according to the human-rights organization Amnesty International.

Hundreds of thousands of them were Assyrian, Chaldean, Armenian or other minority communities in Iraq.

The refugees lost access to housing, health care and education, and they continued to live in constant fear of being returned to Iraq, where they face death threats, according to the human-rights organization.

At the Assyrian school, some tell Principal Robin Alkhas that whereabouts of cousins and uncles, lost to kidnappings, remain unknown.

Also troubling to Alkhas is the time these students lost from reading and writing and socializing with children their own age while they awaited the chance to enter the United States. They have lost their formative years in exile, she said.

"I feel these kids had an unfair start," she said. "Iraq used to have the highest literacy rate in the world. Some of the children who came to us, who are now 11, couldn't even write their names. That's scary to me."

The Assyrian American Christian School, which now has about 40 students, opened in 2005 as the first private school of its kind in the nation.

But 10 young refugees, five from Iraq and five from Iran, have given the school an additional purpose this year: to help these students preserve the traditions of their ancestry while preparing them for college in less time than most other students have.

Alkhas wishes the school could afford to take in more students. But resources and donations from the local community are limited. She hopes to receive some assistance or qualify for a grant from the federal government or a philanthropy.

"There were three more students we wanted to take," she said. "But we had to turn them away. "It was heartbreaking for me."

While European countries have offered some form of stability, U.S. policy on resettlement continues to remain murky. The Bush administration was criticized for lacking any solid vision on the issue.

The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, said it will try to resettle a minimum of 17,000 Iraqi refugees this fiscal year. From Oct. 1, 2007, to Sept. 12, 2008, the U.S. resettled 12,118 Iraqi refugees; the number in 2007 had been 1,608.

When asked what challenges the United States faces in helping to resettle Iraq War refugees, a State Department spokeswoman said such questions are left to policymakers.

President Obama's plans for resettling refugees remain unknown, said Joel Charny, vice president for policy of Refugees International.

"During the campaign, President Obama actually uttered the words `Iraq refugees' and expressed concern for humanitarian conditions," Charny said.

"We have a president who is able to express concern for the Iraqi people who are suffering, but that verbal commitment needs to be translated into action."

Though Obama also has pledged to end the war in Iraq by 2010, its people need to prove there can be stability, Charny said. So far, that stability hasn't appeared.

"There are people who suffered a level of trauma to which returning is inconceivable," he said.

California remains one of the toughest states in which to resettle refugees, said Debbie Decker, community resource developer for the Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Service in Atwater Village, the largest organization of its kind in the nation.

"We do resettle a tremendous amount of people," Decker said. "But California is restricted because of limited social services, the cost of living (and) job availability, and housing is so expensive."

Last year, the organization helped about 1,500 refugees resettle in Los Angeles, Decker said. The previous year, the group helped about 1,350, mostly people from Iran escaping religious persecution.

Before refugee status is granted, the United Nations must determine those who apply for it are in real danger if they remain in their native lands. To settle in California, applicants must have family ties in the state and undergo a complex process of paperwork, background checks and verification of travel documents.

But Assyrians have historical ties to California. Waves of them arrived in the Central Valley after fleeing a massacre by the Turks near the end of World War I. Others escaped Iran after the Islamic revolution in 1979, and still more families came after the first Gulf War.

With the latest Iraq War, however, the American Assyrian community fears that ancestral homelands in Northern Iraq, where their numbers continue to decline, will be lost to them forever.

At the Assyrian school in Tarzana, the lessons help the students revive hopes and dreams, said the Rev. George Bet-Rasho, who started the school and is the parish priest for St. Mary's Assyrian Church of the East in Tarzana.

"We understand them, because many of us can relate to them," Bet-Rasho said.

Kathryn Yousif, 17, said coming to Los Angeles has helped her feel settled.

Her younger sisters, Sweden, 13, and Moreen, 11, also both at the school, seem happy as they immerse themselves in English grammar by day and songs by Hannah Montana and the cast of "High School Musical" by night.

The Yousifs traveled to the United States with nothing more than the clothes they wore, Kathryn said.

"I miss my friends," she said. "But there is no future in Iraq."

For Leon, the young piano player who is an ethnic blend of Armenian, Assyrian and Chaldean, the war landed him in the United States in a most unexpected way.

By Susan Abram

Help Find Missing 7 Year-Old Assyrian Boy

2009-03-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

MISSING CHILD

A seven-year-old, Assyrian boy named Aishu Auraay is missing. He was last seen on Tuesday 2 September 2008 at 5:30 P.M. on the grounds of Mar Oraha Church/School, at Jaramana 10 kilometers Southeast of Damascus.

Father’s Name: Auraay D. Nissan
Mother’s Name: Yuneea A. Zumaeeah
Siblings: Mati, Aumta, Katreen, Linda, and Auleen

Family History

The family lived in Tel Kepe (Telkaif), 15 miles from Mosul, for twelve years before fleeing to Syria on the 16 November 2007. They lived near Mar Oraha in three separate locations within the vicinity of the Church until March 2009 when they arrived in Australia without their son.

This family, like most refugees, has been subjected to extortion and bullying by gangs that view these helpless souls as easy targets. A poor investigation was conducted by local police with no results. Now the family has asked for our help. The hope is to reopen the investigation at a higher level including international aid as well as police agencies.

What you can do to help?

1. Place this photograph on as many personal and public websites and social network websites as possible.
2. Show the photograph on as many satellite television programs if you have connections.
3. Most importantly, other refugees may have been subjected to the same abuse and may have been reluctant to speak up at the time. You can contact family members and friends that live in Jaramana or have recently emigrated from there and ask them to help.

Request

Please do not post incoming information and the contact details below on public forums. All information will be treated with the utmost care and confidentiality however insignificant it may seem to you. It is also important to centralize the information for analysis and distribution to proper authorities, so again, please use the contact details below to submit information.

Thanking you on behalf of the refugee family.

Primary Contact in Australia:
Gaby Kiwarkis
Gaby6@aapt.net.au
Mobile +0410086479

Secondary Contact:
Ashur Isaac
ashur@theplanet.net.au.vcf

http://MissingAssyrian.110mb.com/

Baouta’d Ninevaye or the Rogation of the Ninevites

2009-02-03T20:59:00.001-08:00

Watch His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California as he explains Rogation of Ninevites 862 B.C - Bouta D' Ninvayeh:

Watch Mar Awa...

Baouta’d Ninevaye or the Rogation of the Ninevites ܒܥܘܬܐ ܕܢܝܢܘܐ which means 'Nineveh's Wish' commemorates the repentance of the people of Nineveh at the preaching of Jonah, the Prophet.

God instruct Jonah to go to Nineveh and condemn Assyrians for their “wickedness”, and to preach faith in His unity and virtuous conduct. But the people jeered at him and paid no heed to his call. Jonah was so disgusted with the attitude of his people that he decided to leave his town and take to the sea.

When his ship was in deep waters, it was rocked by storm and Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a big fish. As he lay in the belly of the fish, Jonah wondered why he was being punished when God had chosen him to be His messenger; where had he gone wrong? He then realized that he should not have acted in anger, because God wished that he be patient and more persuasive.

He prayed for forgiveness and for another opportunity to prove himself. Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the company of the righteous. [68:50]

After three days in the belly of the fish, God listened to his prayers and miraculously took him out of the belly of the fish and cast him, albeit in a sickly condition, upon a deserted shore. Having recovered in the shadow of a gourd-tree, he went to Ninveh, where he pursued his mission, this time with greater persuasion and forbearance and despite all the jeers of the people, continuing with his work to bring them to the right path.

God told Jonah: Had your Lord so wished, all people everywhere would have been believers. But that is not His way, hence do not force anyone to take to Our path unless they do so willingly. No one can believe except by the will of God; only those who are skeptics do not understand His message. [10:99-100]

The Ninevites repent and declared a public fast. God then relented and did not inflict on them the punishment he had threatened. This shows God's universal love and mercy which extend to all human beings.

For Assyrians the Rogation of Ninevite has a nationalistic and a spiritual significance: In this way Assyrians were always reminded of Nineveh throughout the history until the ruins of Nineveh were discovered in early half of the 19th Century. Assyrians were also reminded of their importance in the history of the Church and spiritual development of Judeo-Christian tradition, for the Ninevites symbolized the longing of all humans for a universal God. The God who is so gracious and compassionate, the God who watches over His people and protects them from their evil ways.

During the three days of Baouta (fasting) people abstain from all food and water in their plea for forgiveness. Traditionally, at the end of the fasting period those that have fasted would partake of three handfuls of parched barley, mixed with a like amount of salt, and then sleep. Assyrians have different recipe's for such salty mixture or "pookhon" as it's called.

Baouta d’Ninevaye or the Rogation of Ninevites is an important Assyrian tradition which must be noted for its historic and spiritual significance.

His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia Honored as Fairfield's Citizen of the Year for 2009

2009-01-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

(Fairfied City Champion) FAIRFIELD City Farm was bursting with families celebrating the spirit of Australia Day on Monday.

Fairfield Citizen of the Year for 2009 is Assyrian Church of the East [Metropolitan] of Australia and New Zealand, His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia, who established St. Hurmizd Primary School in Greenfield Park, the first Assyrian school outside the Assyrian homeland.

``This award gives me a sense of working for the whole community, not just the Assyrian church,'' Mr Zaia said.

``I aim always to make the younger generation feel first their responsibility of being Australian.

``In encouraging them to finish their higher education and be active members of their community, there needs to be a sense of contributing back to the whole country.''

A finalist for the 2008 NSW Young Australian of the Year award, Ms Coxon urged people to take on leadership roles, saying: ``Each of us experiences obstacles to becoming a leader, but we each have something inside us that will push past those to achieve our goals.''

Latest Assyrian Church of the East Events

2009-01-19T15:13:00.000-08:00

Mar Yosip Parish Restaurant Night

Our next Restaurant Night is held on Sunday, January 25, 2009 at Mar Yosip Parish Hall in San Jose, California. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $10/per person and $5/per child under the age of 7. Tickets can be purchased at church or at the door on the day of the event.

Fundraising Banquet in Honor of The Consecration of His Grace Mar Awa in Turlock, CA

The Mar Zaia, Mar Addai and Mar Gewargis Parishes are hosting a fundraising banquet in honor of the consecration of His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of the Diocese of California, on Sunday, February 8, 2009 at Larsa Banquet Hall in Turlock, CA. The event will begin at 6:00 pm. Tickets may be acquired in advance. All proceeds and donations will go to benefit the purchase of the new Apesqopion in Modesto.

Fundraising Banquet in Honor of The Consecration of His Grace Mar Awa in San Jose, CA

The Mar Yosip and Mar Narsai Parishes are hosting a fundraising banquet in honor of the consecration of His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of the Diocese of California, on Sunday, February 15, 2009 at the Mar Yosip Parish Hall, San Jose. The event will begin at 6:00 pm and tickets may be acquired in advance. All proceeds and donations will go to benefit the purchase of the new Apesqopion of the Diocese of California in Modesto.

Nomination of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV for an Honorary Degree

2009-01-18T18:25:00.001-08:00

It is with great honor to announce that our Patriarch, and our great spiritual leader, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV has been nominated for an Honorary Degree at the University of Chicago.

The letter by Dr. Gil J. Stein, PhD., the Director of the Oriental Institute and Professor of Near Easter Archaeology, praises His Holiness for all his hard work and dedication in the last 32 years, for his crucial role "in holding this community together, in preserving its unique heritage, and in insuring the Assyrian culture, language, and identity are passed on to the next generation through schools and other cultural programs."

We congratulate His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV for his strongest dedication and for holding this community tightly together, while serving as our spiritual guidance.

The Biographical Sketch of The Holy Father His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos Patriarch of the East

2009-01-18T17:55:00.000-08:00

The Biographical Sketch of The Holy Father Mar Dinkha IV Catholicos Patriarch of the East

The Father of Fathers of the Holy Apostolic Catholic (Assyrian) Church of the East,
presently is the 120th successor to the Holy Apostle Peter, the Chief of Apostles.

Introduction:
Because His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV The Catholicos Patriarch is known among the
Eastern and Western Church, it is unnecessary for us to re-introduce The Holy
Father to us all. The love and the understanding exuding from the person of His
Holiness has made him, an individual of honor; and, to be received with all proper
integrity and honor, from among the various world, secular and religious
personalities.

The Prophecy of the Patriarchate:
His Beatitude Mar Aprem Mooken the Patriarchal Representative and Metropolitan
of Malabar and all-India, as a young priest studying in a New York seminary, was
present at one of the festive celebrations which had been offered by the Parish of
Mar Mari in Yonkers, New York, in the year 1967, which was in honor of His
Grace Bishop Mar Dinkha as the Bishop of the Church of Iran. His Beatitude,
during the course of his speech, had expressed a wish, “that one day, His Grace
Mar Dinkha, would be the next Patriarch of the Church of the East.” The
consecration of The Catholicos Patriarch with nephew succeeding uncle had been
disbanded, therefore, by the decree of the late Catholicos Patriarch Mar +Eshai
Shimun XXIII, the succeeding patriarch and bishops within the Holy Synod will not
be elected from among certain families. The election of all the hierarchy will be
from among the faithful of The Holy Church. Mar Aprem of India declared in his
remarks “ . . let us place our hope that the next patriarch which we elect will be this young, wise and enlightened Bishop of Iran. The prophetic utterance of His
Beatitude was fulfilled and came to pass in the year 1976. This young Bishop of
Iran was elected to the Awesome Office of Catholicos Patriarch; and, consecrated
to occupy the widowed See of Selucia Ctestiphon.

In the year 1976, the widowed See of the Patriarchate of the Church of the East
summoned by the locum tenens Mar Timotheus of India to a Holy Synod in order to
elect a succeeding Patriarch. The Holy Synod was called to order by the venerable
and esteemed late Metropolitan Mar +Timotheus of India in London, England,
October 1976. At the time of the convening of the Holy Synod, and the request for
a nominee to be presented for consideration for an occupant of the widowed
Patriarchal See; the unanimous consent of the Metropolitans and Bishops present
fell upon the Venerable and Learned Bishop of Iran; Mar Dinkha.

With the exception of His Beatitude, of blessed memory, Mar +Yosip Khnanishou,
His Lordship Mar Dinkha of Iran was the only Bishop consecrated before the
untimely schism of 1964. The blessed elder Metropolitan Mar +Yosip of the
Church of Iraq was seriously ill and infirm; and unable to attend the Holy Synod of
1976. Under the hand of the Holy Spirit His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV was
consecrated and sat upon the Apostolic Throne of Selucia Ctestiphon.

From the very first day in which Mar Dinkha IV had been installed as The Chief
Shepherd of The Church of the East; he has untiringly and faithfully proceeded to
fulfill his ministry as the Universal Father of The Holy Church. This great
responsibility of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, did not prevent him from developing
a profound closeness to the faithful regardless of the lands in which they reside.
Let us mention here, that while His Holiness as The Bishop of Iran, did indeed,
make Apostolic Visits throughout The Church, meeting with the faithful in The
Church of India, the Church of Iraq, the Church of Lebanon, the Church of Europe,
the Church of Canada, the Church of Australia, and the Church of America, he did
enjoy the friendship of these precious believing faithful members of the Holy Flock
of our Lord.

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV Catholicos Patriarch is privileged with a gift of
knowing a great number of the faithful in The Church. His unique ability to recall
those whom he had met always amazes the faithful, for he can call them by their
names. Therefore, as the story of the Holy Gospel relates: “ . . . the Good
Shepherd knows those who belong to Him, and He calls them by their names, and
they recognize his voice and they follow Him.” His Holiness is unique for he is
the only Patriarch known who is able to recall details of any family member, from
which region they had migrated, who their ancestry or forebears may be, etc. In
his rôle as the Supreme Head of The Holy Church, he has initiated and completed
many Apostolic Visits, bringing comfort, healing, encouragement, hope, inspiration
and strength to the scattered flock of The Church throughout the world.

His Holiness is very much aware of the his historical roots, both as to the Church of
the East; and, of his national ethnic origin; the ancient Assyrian history, the
language and the culture; always ready to address and speak in detail as to the
historical events in The Church and the Assyrian Nation. He has gained his
profound knowledge by investing his time in reading a great number of books
which presented a comprehensive study in these particular fields of interest. As to
his use in the languages of the world, His Holiness very comfortably communicates
with non-Assyrians. He is capable of speak to you using either English, Parsee,
Kurdish, or Arabic with ease.

In The Holy Synod of The Church, His Holiness demonstrates an equal fairness of
democratic practice, concerns and thoughts among the prelates. As it affects the
decisions which the Holy Synod will render; he will request of each prelate to
present his thoughts freely, and without fear. Thus we can state here, that in the
future, no prelate can say, or state, that he did not understand a particular point nor position presented to the Holy Synod. His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, does not act
in haste! He is a thinker and is very thoughtful before any action is determined.
In the forthcoming generation it is of considerable importance for them (i.e.: the
younger generation) to know the rôle and the various achievements of this, our
Holy Father! His Holiness has been very active in the field of ecumenical dialogue
with other Sister Apostolic Churches and Christian bodies. It is through dialogue
that His Holiness has been enabled to rebuild and reestablish communication
between the Apostolic Churches, the Roman See in particular and other Christian
communities. It was through dialogue His Holiness was able to make known to all
Christian Communities that The Church of the East confesses the Apostolic and
Orthodox Faith. In November of 1994, the Common Christological Declaration
was signed between The Roman See (His Holiness John Paul II of Rome), and that
of The Church of the East (His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV), in which the obstacles of
misunderstanding and separation was removed following 1500 years of a sad
division. A Mixed Committee was established for further exploration in the matter
of dogma. The Mixed Committee has, after a ten year study, discussion etc.,
produced a document on “The Sacramental Life” of the two Churches. It is now
ready to be signed, by the hierarchs of the two churches.

His Holiness is concerned about the future generations which will succeed us, who
are the older generation. His concern is centered in the need to develop
educational programs for the children and the youth. He is a great lover of the
Church Choir, and he has developed certain hymns which are appropriate for use in
the Holy Mass throughout a given year. Wherever the faithful of The Church may
be located, he is eager to appoint a priest and clergy to serve them, in order to build a church and a place of common gathering, so that they will not be deprived of the Sacramental Life.

Unfortunately, in 1964, a schism developed in The Church of India. Since His
Holiness had ascended/succeeded to the Throne of Selucia Ctestiphon, he has been
successful in leading The Church to reunite with the Apostolic See, thus bringing
healing to the body of believers.

His Holiness thinks and thought much about the necessity of having an educated
clergy, as we entered into the Third Millennium. To achieve this intent and goal,
His Holiness established a seminary in the Church of Iraq. His Holiness has sent
our clergy following their educational program in our Iraqi seminary, to the
institutions of higher learning in Rome, and elsewhere, to complete their
philosophical and theological studies, and now, thanks be to God, we have a
number of clergy who are capable of leading the younger generation into an
awareness of the profound spiritual truths of The Church of the East; its Third
Millennium. (The result of his insights.)

The birth and upbringing of His Holiness:
The great-grandfather of His Holiness, the late and of beloved memory The Rev’d
Fr. Soro was known throughout the Holy Church of the East for his spirituality and
Christlike humility and piety. He lived in righteousness, adorning his behavior
with fasting and perpetual prayer, his life’s span was over 100 years on this earth.
He was born in the year of 1856, in Nochia (in the region of the mountains of
Hakkari), and rested in peace in 1961 in the Village of Durbandoke in Northern
Iraq. This blessed priest of our Lord and God was from the House of Mar Dinkha,
The Bishop of Urmia, Persia, who had received the crown of martyrdom, together
with forty (40) Assyrian Christian men in the year 1915, on the top of the hill called “The Hill of the Jews” behind the Village of Charbash, in the Provence of Urmia, Persia. This Bishop was the last bishop of the See of Mar Dinkha, till the
consecration and arrival of Mar Khanania Dinkha in the year 1962. The late and blessed +Andrious, the son of the Rev’d Fr +Benjamin, the issue of the
late Rev’d Fr. Soro, took to himself a wife, of blessed memory, the late +Pana,
the daughter of blessed memory Kako. The beloved Pana, was greatly respected
by all who were aware of her simple trusting and great faith. Andrious and Pana
lived together in the Village of Durbandoke, the Parish Mar Quriakos, in the region
of Harrier. Mar Dinkha was born to his parents, 15 September 1935, in the Village
of Durbandoke. He was subsequently baptized and confirmed in the Holy Faith by
his grandfather, The Rev’d Fr. Benjamin, in the village Church of Mar Quriakos.
His Holiness was reared in the Diocese of Arbil, where many great leaders of the
Church of the East were born and reared, such as Mar Odeshoo and Mar Qardaq.

His Holiness had been reared as a Nazarite from the moment of his conception; and,
thence offered as a lamb to serve The Holy Church, even before his birth. Thus his
beloved mother +Pana, when Khanania was being carried in the secret parts, lived
in piety, and free from the consumption of flesh meats, etc. She was always
engaged in fasting and prayer, till the day of his birth. Khanania lived a Nazarite
vow, according to the ritual of the Nazaritic practice; like the Old Testament
prophets, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. He did not drink strong drink, and
his food was of the earth, fruits, nuts and vegetarian. Following the birth of
Khanania, another son was born to this blessed family unit, they named him Ezaria
at his baptism. Again God further blessed this pious couple with a beautiful
daughter, whom they had named Virginia at her baptism. Pana passed into the
Eternal Presence of our Lord, in Tehran, 1968; and Andrious entered into life
eternal in San Jose, USA, in 1999. Presently the Honorable Ezaria is serving the
Holy Church as Deacon, in the Cathedral Parish of Mar Yosip Khananisho, San
Jose, California.

His Holiness obtained his knowledge of the worship of the Holy Church; which
includes the Liturgy, Language, Faith Tradition, etc., from his forebearers, the late
Rev’d Fr +Benjamin. In 1947, at the age of 12 he was entrusted to the blessed
hands of the late Metropolitan the blessed Mar +Yosip Khananisho. From that
time forward, Mar +Yosip became the spiritual guide and teacher to His Holiness.
When the late Rev’d Fr. Benjamin, held the hand of young Khanania, and in turn
offered him to His Beatitude, saying: “. . Your Beatitude, I am now offering to you
this young lamb, you rear him as you know and wish, to do, in order to work for
The Holy Church. Thus from this moment forward, he does not belong to us, he
belongs to The Holy Church.”

With two years of intensive training and teaching by His Beatitude Mar +Yosip,
Khanania was ready to be ordered into the Sacred Diaconate. 12 September 1949
he was set aside to the Sacred Office through the Apostolic Laying on of Hands, by
his mentor, Mar +Yosip. During this time, as he served as Deacon and assistant to
His Beatitude, he continued to unceasingly study the Aramaic Language, the
Theology of The Church and her Sacred Liturgy. At the conclusion of 8 years of
intensive studies, His Beatitude Mar +Yosip, commended Shammasha Khanania, to
be elevated to the Sacred Office of Priest of God. 15th July 1957, at the
Commemoration of Mar Koriakous, His Beatitude Mar +Yosip laid hands upon
Shammasha Khanania and set him aside into the Sacred Office Priest. During
World War II, The Holy Church lost a great number of clergy. The Holy Church
began to give evidence of considerable weakness owing to the lack, and simple fact,
that the Reverend Clergy had been reduced in great number. It was His Beatitude
Mar +Yosip who had realized the great distress and profound need for clergy in The
Holy Church. This is the reason that he had accepted the young Khanania, and
trained and ordained, and gave to him a greater mission; which was to go to Iran
and the widowed Church of that land.

A bishop was greatly needed for the Church of Iran! In order to fill this need His
Beatitude Mar +Yosip consecrated the Rev’d Pilipos as Mar Youkhana, Bishop for
Urmia, and all-Iran; but unfortunately, owing to the political difficulties between
Iraq and Iran, an entrance visa was not granted to this new bishop for the Church of
Iran. For this reason, Mar Youkhana remained in the City of Dianna, and served
there as Bishop for the regional Diocese of Arbil and Kirkuk. As the political
scene improved between Iran and Iraq, and in order for His Beatitude Mar +Yosip
to fill the vacancy to The Church of Iran, he sent The Rev’d Khanania to Iran.
Thus, step by step Mar +Yosip prepared him for the Holy Episcopacy. When no
priest was available in the Church of Iran, in 1939, Mr. Ruel Arsinis went down to
India, and was ordained Deacon and then to the Priesthood for the Church of Iran,
by the Apostolic Laying-on-of-Hands by His Beatitude, of late blessed memory
Mar +Awimalk Timotheus, the Metropolitan of India. This priest (Qashisha
Arsinis), served The Holy Church of Iran for a long period of time, faithfully. The
Rev’d Fr Khanania arrived in Abadan, Iran, December 25th 1957. He joyfully
served The Kurbana Kaddisha for the faithful in Abadan, January 7th 1958,
Christmas Day, according to the Old Calendar. Fr Khanania labored untiringly in
the field of service for the greater glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in what appeared
to be an abandoned (but, widowed) Church of Iran. In Tehran, he had erected the
beautiful Cathedral Church of St George the Martyr, and again, he labored toward
the building of a parochial School in Tehran. Many things were set in order in
Tehran by the young priest Fr Khanania. People were very happy and truly
grateful for this young industrious priest who was but 23 years of age. Fr.
Khanania was officially appointed as the representative of the Metopolitan, for the
whole of The Church of Iran.

Toward the completion of the Church of St George the Martyr, Tehran, His
Holiness of blessed memory, Mar +Eshai Shimun XXIII visited The Church of
Iran, and consecrated the new Church, 9th February 1962. With the helping hand
of our worshipful God, and the untiring labors of The Rev’d Fr Khanania, The
Church of the East, for the first time had erected an edifice to worship God in the
City of Tehran. By the majority of the faithful sons and daughters of The Church
of Iran, a petition was presented to His Holiness of blessed memory Mar +Eshai
Shimun XXIII to consecrate The Rev’d priest Fr Khanania as Bishop for The
Church of Iran. The petition was accepted, and on the 11th of February 1962, The
Rev’d Fr Khanania was elevated and consecrated Bishop for the Church of Iran,
taking the name Mar Dinkha. His Lordship Mar Dinkha, as Bishop, built The
Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in the City of Urmia; and, also another Parish
Church, bearing the Virgin Mother’s name: St Mary. As the faithful of The
Church witnessed the outcome of his intensive labors, they stood behind him in full
support in all steps which he took, for the progress and success of The Holy Church
of Iran.

His Beatitude Mar +Yosip in his congratulatory epistle to Mar Dinkha the newly
consecrated Bishop of Iran, wrote and said: “ . . . in one meeting with Mar +Eshai
Shimun, in Tehran, he ordained The Rev’d Khanania Bishop of Tehran and
all-Iran, we beseech our Lord and God to grant to him, physical and spiritual
health, wisdom, enlightenment of leadership, in order to lead the faithful flock
which had been entrusted to his spiritual paternity. His Beatitude is praying that
our worshipful God be with Bishop Mar Dinkha to watch over his flock, to ordain
priests and deacons which are needed for the ministry in the vineyard of Christ.”
The Metropolitan of late blessed memory Mar +Yosip, continues to write in the
form of a poem, stating: “. . . Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who had come
down from Heaven, in wonder, and put on the humility of humanity, by the Power
of the Holy Spirit, from the blessed daughter of David, keep Thy servant His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV,and make him quiet and humble and a famous leader to watch over the flock with diligence, and in all love and joy: Amen ”

In 1966, His Lordship Mar Dinkha of Iran, visited The Church of America, and he
was well received and loved by the sons and daughters of The Holy Church. Then,
in 1967, His Lordship broke the ground and placed the corner-stone for the building
of the Mar Mari Church, Yonkers, New York. In February 1967, His Holiness
Mar +Eshai Shimun XXIII Catholicos Patriarch of the East, commissioned Mar
Dinkha of Iran accompanied by The Rev’d Fr. Isaac Rehana upon an Apostolic
Visit to The Church of India. Possessed with full confidence and certainty, Mar
+Eshai Shimun XXIII, knew that Mar Dinkha of Iran was the most capable prelate
in The Church to be sent for this particular mission, during a critical moment in our
history in The Church; at the time Mar Toma Darmo had been suspended (effective
10th January

Source: ACOE Global Youth Organization

Assyrian Post's Christmas Message

2008-12-29T14:29:00.000-08:00

Assyrian Post would like to wish you all a Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year's. The simple and inspiring story of the birth of Jesus Christ fills our souls with gratitude and our hearts with joy, for the many blessings in our lives and promises that God's purpose is justice and His plan is peace. Christmas is also a time to give thanks to the Lord for His Love and Protection and a time to remember our duty to care for the vulnerable.

Our hope for all of us this Christmas is that the wonder of what happened at that unique birth in Bethlehem may recapture our hearts and imaginations, and that any lingering sense of hollowness may be replaced by an adoration that springs from the depths of thankfulness.

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV's Christmas 2008 Greeting

2008-12-29T14:26:00.000-08:00

Watch His Holiness Christmas Greeting:
http://www.maryosipparish.com/Christmas2008

A Day of Blessings: Elevation of His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia to Metropolitan

2008-12-09T08:13:00.000-08:00

A DAY OF BLESSINGS
By Emmanuel Brikha

The Assyrian community of Australia and New Zealand, was this Sunday blessed by the presence of the Patriarch of the Assyrian church of the East His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV. He arrived in Australia last week for the elevation of His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia from his rank of Bishop to Metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand. The Metropolitan of Lebanon, Syria and all of Europe His Beatitude Mar Narsai Debaz along with metropolitan of India His Beatitude Mar Aprem Mooken and the newly ordained Bishop of California His Grace Mar Awa Rouel, all of who arrived in Australia for a two weeks of big events in the Assyrian church and community.

Assyrian faithful started to pack the church as early as 4am on the raining Sunday morning. By 6am more than 2000 people were ready to welcome the Patriarch, and by 7.30 there was huge crowds at the church as the clergy convoy entered the grounds of St Hurmizd Assyrian cathedral at Greenfield Park, Sydney.

More than 100 deacons, choir members and children formed an isle from the alter all the way to outside the church entrance doors. The Patriarch along with the metropolitan and Bishops entered the church doors with a welcome of prayers and roses which were thrown at his feet. Thousands of people were crying and cheering as the scene was to overwhelming for them.

As the clergy made there way up to the alter the ceremony began. His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia had read his oath and promise of loyalty to his church, Patriarch and ranks. He was then blessed with the laying of the hand and elevated to the ranks of Metropolitan. As soon as he was elevated the crowds clapped, screamed, and celebrated with cheers that their church leader was made Metropolitan.

More than 3700 people had attended this event many from interstate and from other countries. As food was being served outside the church hall people were greeted by the clergy before leaving to get ready for the evening dinner which was to follow.

His Grace Mar Awa Bishop of California Consecrated November 30, 2008

2008-11-30T19:29:00.000-08:00

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, peace be upon you all.

It is with great honor and joy that we announce the consecration of a new bishop, His Grace Mar Awa, Bishop of California. His Grace Mar Awa was the former Arch-Deacon David Royel. The consecration took place today, Sunday November 30, 2008 at Mar Zaia Church in Modesto, California by the Catholicos Patriarch, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, with assistance of His Grace Mar Sargis Yousip, Bishop of Iraq, His Grace Mar Aprim Khamis, Bishop of the Western United States, and His Grace Mar Odisho Oraham, Bishop of Europe. This special, emotional and holy event left all who witnessed it and were fortunate to attend speechless.

His Grace Mar Awa was born on July 4, 1975 to his parents Koresh and Flourence Royel in Chicago, IL. His Grace is our first bishop ever ordained that was born in the United Stated of America. His parents should take great pride in raising such a wonderful and special son that will serve as our holy father.

His Grace Mar Awa was ordained sub-deacon in October 1991 and ordained deacon by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch on January 1992 in Mar Gewargis Cathedral, in Chicago, Illinois.

Then he was ordained cor-bishop on July 2006 by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, in Chicago, Illinois. He was recently ordained archdeacon by His Holiness on November 23, 2008 in Mar Yosip Khnanisho Church in San Jose, California.

Today, on November 30, 2008, he was consecrated bishop for the Diocese of California by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV in Mar Zaia Cathedral in Modesto, California. We were also fortunate to have His Grace Mar Odisho, His Grace Mar Sargis, His Grace Mar Aprim and many of our priests and deacons joining us on this special day.

More than 2500 faithful members from California and Illinois were fortunate to witness this special ceremony. It was also broadcasted LIVE so people all around the world could also witness it.

His Grace Mar Awa is also highly educated. He holds a B.A from Loyola University in Chicago (1997), Bachelor of Sacred Theology from University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein (1999), License of Sacred Theology from Pontifical Oriental University in Rome (2001), and Doctorate of Sacred Theology from Pontifical Oriental University in Rome (2007).

The name 'Awa' means father. We are so fortunate to have His Grace Mar Awa to advise us with his fatherly guidance. God bless His Grace Mar Awa and may our Lord guide him on this journey. Our prayers are with him and with our Church.

More pictures of this historical event can be found in:
http://www.assyrianchurchnews.com/News/view/NewsID/44

Video coming up soon. Stay tuned.

More Sad News From Mosul

2008-11-12T21:12:00.001-08:00

IRAQ: Christians had started returning to Iraq’s third largest city, but a militant attack on Thursday may continue to keep them away | Mindy Belz

(WORLD Magazine) Armed militants killed Iraqi Christians Lamiaa Sabih Saloha and her sister Walaa Thursday morning in Mosul. The shootings took place just as many believed that violence directed at Christians in Iraq’s third largest city was subsiding and up to 200 Christian families who fled in October had started to return.

According to an Italian press report, the armed men shot and killed one of the women while she waited to catch the bus to go to work in the northern Mosul neighborhood of al-Qahira. The attackers then stormed her house and opened fire on the family, killing her sister and injuring their mother. Assyrian sources in Mosul told WORLD the mother is seriously injured after the attackers stabbed her. They then set explosives near the house, which went off just as police arrived, injuring three policemen and destroying the family’s home.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

At least 14 Christians have been killed in Mosul since September, and many believe this latest attack will deter Christians who left the city in recent weeks from returning to their homes. Since the beginning of the war, kidnappings and murders have hit especially hard the church community in Mosul, the second-largest community of Christians in Iraq after Baghdad and located 250 miles north of the capital. The city under Saddam was dominated by Sunni Arabs and with Tikrit formed the heartland for the Baath Party. But Sunnis boycotted 2005 elections and Kurds now dominate both the governing council and the police force. That may change when provincial elections are held in January, but already many blame Sunni militants for trying to undermine security and Kurdish gains with the recent violence.

Source: WORLD Magazine
Published November 12, 2008

MarYosip Parish: The 18th Annual “All Saints Night”

2008-10-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East
MarYosip Parish

Presents

The 18th Annual
“All Saints Night”

Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder
them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”-Matthew 19:14

Bring your family and friends-Everybody is welcomed

Friday, October 31st, 6:00-8:00pm
Prizes, Food, Fun Games, & Astro Jump @ 680 Minnesota Ave, San Jose, Ca 95125

In order to create a wholesome family atmosphere, we ask that you please, not wear masks, devilish costumes, any type of weapons or
scary face painting

Iraq's Christians Flee 'Religious Cleansing,' and Arm Themselves

2008-10-30T10:49:00.000-07:00

War is Boring: Iraq's Christians Flee 'Religious Cleansing,' and Arm Themselves
By: David Axe
World Politics Review Exclusive

In early October, news and rumors spread through the city of Mosul in northern Iraq that insurgents were targeting the area's Christian population. The attacks were apparently aimed at driving the Christians out of town -- a sort of "religious cleansing."

The anti-Christian campaign reportedly began in September, with "death threats through letters, SMS and e-mails," according to Mustafa Gundogdu, a researcher from the U.K.-based Kurdish Human Rights Project. (Iraq's minority Kurdish population, concentrated in self-governing Kurdistan, includes many Christians, although not all Iraqi Christians are Kurds.)

Gundogdu told World Politics Review that the threats were signed by a group calling itself "Al Mujahideen," a generic Arabic term for "freedom fighters." "After such threats, twelve Christian people were killed and three houses belonging to the Christian community were burned."

As panic flared, it became hard to tell fact from fiction. Several car bombs exploded in or near Christian neighborhoods around Mosul, but it wasn't clear if the bombs actually targeted Christians or were aimed at nearby soldiers. One woman told a reporter that men wearing the blue uniforms of the Iraqi police were killing Christians, echoing a trope that began at least four years ago with reports of police "death squads" in southern Iraq.

Amid intensifying rhetoric, an Iraqi general warned against "media exaggeration that gave rise to fear and horror among these families." Some foreign-based security analysts advised calm as they tried to sort truth from misinformation. One, Joost Hiltermann, from the New York-based International Crisis Group, said his sources in Iraq could not get close enough to Mosul to verify alarming reports.

By late October, as many as 13,000 Christians had fled Mosul, according to several news reports. The flight has exacerbated what Pary Karadaghi, an official at the U.S.-based Kurdish Human Rights Watch, calls an "epic" humanitarian crisis for Iraq's Christians.

Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians have fled their homes in the five years since the U.S.-led invasion, some fleeing religious violence, others displaced by the ongoing insurgency. Thousands do not have access to food, water and shelter as the cold Iraqi winter approaches. Even those who do have basic necessities struggle to integrate into the predominantly Kurdish communities where they have sought refuge. Many Christians from the Mosul area do not speak the Kurdish language, so their children cannot attend school.

Christians have called Iraq home for more than 1,500 years. Today, the country's Christian population, probably numbering a little over a million, is divided between Chaldeans, who are formally associated with the Catholic Church, and Assyrians, who follow similar doctrine but have no formal ties to Rome. Assyrians claim to have one of the highest rates of martyrdom of any Christian sect: Some two million reportedly have died for their faith over the centuries. If the violence against Iraqi Christians indeed is religiously motivated, then today the martyrdom continues.

Hiltermann says U.S. forces are too focused on security in Baghdad to devote much effort to securing Mosul and other parts of Iraq where Christians are threatened. Defeating Mosul's extremists is a task that has fallen to the Iraqi army, a far less effective force that often endangers the very people it is supposed to protect. Early this year, the Iraqi army deployed tanks and other armored vehicles in operations around Mosul, and Christians got caught in the crossfire.

"There were also lots of raids going on in their communities," Karadaghi says of Mosul's Christians. "When the Iraqi government is looking for terrorist groups, they come to those neighborhoods. Their houses get searched. And once they get searched, terrorists see them as collaborators. So they are hit twice."

Now, instead of relying on Baghdad to protect them, some Christian neighborhoods are taking security into their own hands, forming unofficial militias that set up roadblocks to screen for weapons and strangers. Some of the Christian militias are getting support from the Kurdish Regional Government and its security forces, according to Karadaghi.

With refugee populations swelling and tensions mounting as Christians arm themselves, this year Christmas in Iraq will be "low key," Karadaghi says, instead of the traditional boisterous celebration.

H.H. MarDinkha IV (10-19-2008) Anniversay Dinner in Chicago

2008-10-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

32nd Anniversary pictures of H. H. MarDinkha IV in Chicago. It brought tears to my eyes. May the Lord abundantly bless His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV and sustain him and the faithful whom he serve with his gifts of wisdom, joy and peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxUO2ex2fg0

Urgent Need for Assistance for Christians in Iraq

2008-10-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

Below is extracts from a speech by His Grace Bishop Mar Meelis Zaia’s recent speech at the NSW Ecumenical Council-act for peace Iraq seminar (together with the NSWEC briefing paper for this years’s Refugee & Migrant Sunday)
Extracts from the speech by His Grace Bishop Mar Meelis Zaia

Australia’s role in Iraq’s growing Refuge Crisis held at Sydney University

No one has been untouched by grief either by personal loss or to see their country torn apart by violence. I believe that all Iraq desire peace and stability for their loved ones and lament the current situation.

You may have heard that there are minority groups in Iraq – the Yezides, Mandaean and Christians, who because of their small numbers have tended not to be mentioned in the media. As such, the extent of their plight in the current Iraqis situation is not fully revealed. Although I will focus on Assyrians from the Assyrian Church of the East, what I will mention applies equally to our brothers and sisters in the Chaldean Church and Syrian Orthodox Church, who have suffered a similar experience since 2003.

Brief overview of the Assyrians History
The Assyrians are indigenous to the lands between the two great rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates. Descending from the ancient Akkadians, the Assyrians had formed a city-state by 2,000 BC which eventually grew into an empire that ruled for 1400 years, and came to an end in 612 BC. During this period, our ancestors were sophisticated pioneers in the fields of science, literature and law, and government administration.

When the Assyrians embraced Christianity in the first century AD, our Church infused new life into our nation. Through the Church of the East, we embarked on missions that spread the teaching of Christ peacefully to India and China. We established the University of Nisibis in the fourth century AD that became a centre of intellectual development in the Middle East. But with the rise of Islam, persecution of Christians increased, and by the end of the 15th century, had dwindled in number and many Assyrians were driven to the harsh mountains of Southern Turkey to survive.

From the late 1800s until the end of World War One, around two thirds of our nation was massacred in acts of genocide, conducted by the Ottoman Turks and Kurdish insurgents - who wanted to eradicate our Christian presence, and free our lands from any future claims. In 1933, a year after Iraq became independent, another massacre in the town of Semelli occurred, where over 3,000 Assyrians were brutally murdered by the Iraqi army. Such prejudice against Assyrians has continued throughout the decades.

Assyrian persecution today
Like their ancestors, today’s Assyrians value education and many of these refugees have obtained university qualifications and worked in various professions. Their departure has contributed to a brain-drain in Iraq, which can only make it harder for that country to rebuild itself. Those that have stayed to assist international agencies that are trying to help rebuild Iraq, have become the target of extremist groups. They are constantly sent threatening letters instructing them to desist from their work for Westerners, their homes are bombed and their family members are stalked and murdered.

Many of our churches have been bombed. Threatening fatwas have been issues against our communities. Christian families have received instructions to send their daughters to local mosques to marry Muslim men or face violent retribution. By 2003, Assyrians, including Chaldeans and Syriacs, were estimated to be around 3% of the Iraqi population. However, today they represent up to 40% of the refugee population living outside of Iraq. We are looking at figures of up to 500,000 Christians living in camps. The population of Canberra is only around 330,000.

The work of the Assyrian Church and the need for additional Assistance
The Assyrian Church has, through its relief program, spent tens of thousands of dollars assisting Assyrians who have been internally displaced and refugees living in camps in other Middle Eastern countries. These funds are at present modest, but add to the constant financial support provided by Assyrians in the West to their families in the Middle East. Often when refugees arrive in Australia, one of their first objectives is to financially assist their family members (such as elderly parents) who have remained behind.

To give you an example of how this affects our people, when an Assyrian refugee woman arrived in Australia, she quickly found a job as a process worker to send money to her orphaned niece in Syria. This woman had breast cancer, but had decided not to stop work for over eight months while the cancer developed, because her niece had no one else to support her. The support provided by our newly arrived refugees to their families in the Middle East is quite a burden and adds to their stress in Australia.

Currently the need for assistance far exceeds the capacity of our Assyrian Church to provide support to our refugees in the Middle East. The impact is across all aspects of life as issues such as education, health, affordable housing and food become exasperated.

International agencies can best assist Assyrian refugees by working with the Assyrian Church and its aid body ACERO (Assyrian Church of the East Relief Organisation).

Solutions for Assyrian Christians at risk
The UN program for refugees has three components: Firstly, the resettlement of refugees (for example to Western countries); Secondly, the relocation of refugees in countries of asylum and Thirdly, to repatriate refugees to their country of origin. With regards to resettlement, only 1% of the applications for visas are approved. Even when visas have been granted, family members are torn apart and sent to different locations around the world.

One 22 year old refugee woman remarked that “My family has become the united nations.” When asked what she meant by that statement, she replied that her family was living together as refugees in Syria, but now her father and brother live in Germany, her older brother lives in Sweden, her mother and younger sister have been granted migration to Canada, and she is here in Australia all on her own. This story is repeated in the tens of thousands, tearing family bonds across the globe. Because they lack the financial means, we have learned from experience that many Assyrian families will not be reunited again.

The resettlement program must increase the number of visa applications and places like Australia can do a lot more, and reap the benefit of increasing their intake of Assyrian Christians. The resettlement program can also work to ensure that family members are allowed to migrate together, to assist their settlement in their newly adopted country.

The Assyrian community has a lot to offer Australia. The Assyrian community in Australia is about 40 years old and predominantly made of refugees who migrated over the years. Yet this small community has, through its own resources, established sporting and cultural clubs; built cathedrals and established parishes in Sydney and Melbourne; it has members who are in local councils and politics. The Assyrian Church has also built a private primary school and is starting the building of a private High School.

The Second component of the UN program, to relocate refugees in the country of asylum, is simply not an option. Refugees cannot integrate and live freely in those societies. Their status is often acknowledged as “Guests of the country”, and they are constantly at risk of being returned to Iraq when their temporary permits run out. Assyrian refugees are Christians living in Islamic countries, and as a result their status is even more vulnerable. Also, these host countries simply do not have the infrastructure to sustain the large number of refugees.

Repatriation is a viable option -only if Assyrians are allowed to govern themselves. Much like the Kurds were given a safe haven and later established the Kurdish Regional Government, Assyrians must be afforded the same right to self-determination;

Call for Assistance
We need people to assist us in organising the campaign to raise public interest, to establish contacts with the media and to lobby the Australian government. And any one who applies his or herself to this worthy cause will make a difference. I would encourage you to contact our Assyrian Church to obtain more information and link up with our efforts. Thank you for taking the time to listen to the Assyrians case and may God bless you in all your good work done for humanity.

Helpful links for contact - http://www.assyrianrc.com
http://www.assyrianchurch.com.au

Source: http://www.churcheswa.com.au

Assyrian Church of The East Relief Organization (ACERO) Provides Assistance to Christian Refugees From Mosul

2008-10-15T18:10:00.000-07:00

Our people everywhere are greatly upset about the hardship that our people in Mosul have had to endure. The Assyrian Church of the East Relief Organization (ACERO) is donating an initial $10,000 and in the process of donating more. This humanitarian aid is to help with shelter, supplies, and food.

Assyrian Church of the East and its monasteries have their doors open for all those refugees that are seeking sanctuary. Also, in these time of great need, any help that can come from the fellow Assyrians is greatly appreciated and needed. Please make this donation through your local Assyrian Church of The East parish.

Our prayers are with our Christian people in the homeland in such difficult times.

Dr. Sargis Aghajan Welcomes the Christians Fleeing from Mosul to Nineveh Plains

2008-10-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

Following the sad news that Christians from the city of Mosul in Iraq, were fleeing because they were being killed for refusing to convert to Islam, Dr. Sargis Aghajan has come to their rescue. Dr. Sargis Aghajan who is an Iraqi Assyrian politician who was appointed Minister for Finance and the Economy in the cabinet of Iraqi Kurdistan, has asked members of religious and national institutions in our homeland to come together and cooperate with them, while tirelessly working to make every effort possible for providing all of the necessary supplies and places to stay for the needed and displaced families.

Thank you Dr. Sargis Aghajan for all your hardwork and dedication to our people in the homeland. You truly are a great Assyrian hero. May God's blessings be with you always.

We pray, Lord our God, for all those who suffer from acts of war. Please accept our prayers, so that by your goodness, peace may return to all peoples. Lead everyone along the path of reconciliation and peace. Lord, hear the supplications of all who call to You in sorrow and affliction, day and night. Merciful God, let their lives not be lost, we pray You, hear us and have mercy. Amen.

IRAQ: Christians Flee Mosul

2008-10-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

It is indeed heartbreaking to see our nation improvished in this poorly managed war. Please join me in praying for the safety of our beloved Assyrian Christian families of Iraq.

Latest report from Baghdad, Iraq:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- At least 900 Christian families have fled Mosul in the past week, terrified by a series of killings and threats by Muslim extremists ordering them to convert to Islam or face possible death, officials said Saturday.

Christians protest in Mosul last month ahead of elections. An official says protests may have led to the attacks.

Deputy Gov. Khasro Goran said 13 Christians have been slain in the past two weeks in Mosul, about 260 miles (420 kilometers) north of Baghdad. Fleeing Christians have sought refuge in monasteries and churches and with family members in other towns, an Interior Ministry official said.

The attacks began after hundreds of Christians took to the streets in Mosul and surrounding villages and towns, seeking greater representation on provincial councils, whose members will be chosen in the local elections.

Duraid Mohammed Kashmoula, Nineveh's governor, told The Associated Press that the exodus was "a major displacement."

"Of course, al Qaeda elements are behind this campaign against Christians," Kashmoula told AP.

The Interior Ministry official said the homes of three families were destroyed with explosives Saturday after the occupants left. No injuries were reported.

A week ago, leaflets were distributed in several predominantly Christian neighborhoods, threatening families to "either convert to Islam or pay the jizyah or leave the city or face death," said the Interior Ministry official.

Historically, jizyah is a tax paid by non-Muslims in exchange for protection.

Goran said that a few days after the leaflets were passed out, gunmen set up checkpoints in parts of Mosul, stopping vehicles to inspect identification papers, searching for Christian names or other signs of religious affiliation. Many of the Christians killed were targeted in this way, he said.

Bashir Azoz, 45, told AP he fled his Mosul home after gunmen warned a neighbor to leave or be killed.

"Where is the government and its security forces as these crimes take place every day?" asked Azoz, a carpenter who is staying with his wife and three children in a town about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Mosul, according to AP.

The Rev. Bolis Jacob, of Mosul's Mar Afram Church, told AP he couldn't understand the attacks.

"We respect the Islamic religion and the Muslim clerics," he said. "We don't know under what religion's pretexts these terrorists work."

Goran said police have set up security checkpoints in Christian neighborhoods.

In response to the violence, Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul Qader al-Obaidi visited Mosul on Saturday morning, conducting meetings with local authorities and military commanders.

His spokesman, Mohammed al-Askari, said that in addition to ordering more checkpoints in Christian neighborhoods, al-Obaidi ordered more troops deployed, additional security patrols and an increase in aerial surveillance of Christian areas.

Al-Obaidi also ordered more guards for Christian clerics, al-Askari said.

Source: CNN.com

Mar Yosip Parish - Third Annual Tea Time

2008-10-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

On Sunday September 28th, 2008 Mar Yosip Parish of San Jose celebrated its 3rd
Annual Tea Time. The Tea Party was held at Mar Yosip Parish Church Hall. The
Ladies Auxiliary of the parish and other church members helped organize this successful event. A portion of the proceeds of the Tea Party will benefit all the Assyrians in need in our homeland, particularly the needy Assyrian children.

The event turned out to be a major success, with over 500 ladies in attendance.

Upon entering the hall, everyone was in awe at how elegant and beautiful everything looked. Each of the 53 tables were decorated in a different theme. All of the ladies had an amazing time and knowing that they were supporting a great cause, made the event more enjoyable for all.

Father Cor-Bishop David Royel first blessed the event with a prayer. Then we had the Guest Speaker for the event, Rosie Malek-Yonan, who gave a beautiful speech regarding "The Assyrian Woman" and all the hardships that our Assyrian Women have endured.

Sincere gratitude to all our beloved Mar Yosip Parish Ladies, for all their hardwork and effort in organizing this event. Also, our appreciation goes to all the ladies that supported this event and took part of this beautiful and memorable event. We look forward to the next upcoming Tea Time Party that Mar Yosip Parish hosts in the near future.

Patriarchal Visit of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos Patriarch to the Diocese of Europe

2008-09-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

Our Patriarch, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, visit to the Diocese of Europe -

On Sunday, August 17th, His Holiness offered the Holy Mysteries of the Eucharist in the newly constructed Urhai Hall of the Mar Tomah Parish of the Assyrian Church of the East in Stockholm. A large number of people gathered to greet His Holiness.

A banquet was hosted in the evening by the Mar Tomah Parish in honor of His Holiness, giving the faithful sons and daughters a blessed opportunity to see His Holiness and receive blessings from His right hand. Also, the newly constructed Urhai Hall was officially opened and blessed by His Holiness.

While in Stockholm, the following dignitaries from other Christian denominations came to greet and meet His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV:

- His Beatitude Mar Julius Abdulahad G. Shabo, Metropolitan of the Syrian Orthodox Church, Diocese of Sweden and Scandinavia accompanied by Parish Priests, Deacons and members of the Church Council.

- His Holiness also met with His Beatitude in the Bishopric of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Mar Jacob parish.

- Reverend Father Maher Malko, Reverend Father Fadi Eesho, Deacons and members of the church council from the Chaldean Church, St. John's Parish in Sodertalia.

- Primate of the Lutheran Chruch in Sweden, H.E Anders Harald Wejryd.

Many Assyrian political and social parties in Stockholm also met with His Holiness.

His Holiness also visited our Parishes in Sweden, and offered the Holy Eucharist.

On Wednesday, September 3 2008, His Holiness, along with His Grace Mar Odisho, departed Sweden and continued His Patriarchal trip to other European countries, beginning with Denmark. Other countries such as Norway, Holland, Germany, Belgium and London were also visited by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV and His Grace Mar Odisho Oraham.

Source: AssyrianChurchNews.com

Former Bishop Soro Finally Admits His G-Plan

2008-09-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

After years of denials, the former bishop Soro, finally admits to having been planning the Roman Catholicization of the Holy Apostolic Assyrian Church of the East for 20 years. This came in an interview with EWTN TV on Friday Sept. 19th. Although, this was not a surprise to most of us, the fact that he was denying his plan for years, put a rest on the case.

Please stay tuned: More to come.

His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia Presents Lecture on the Patriarchate of the Assyrian Church of the East

2008-08-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

This important lecture was organized by the Youth Association of the Assyrian Church of the East in Sydney to present the Patriarchal Seat and Succession within the history of the Assyrian Church of the East, as well as its sacred doctrines, rites, rituals and practices. The lecture took place on Sunday, July 13th, 2008 at Edessa Hall.

For more on this memorable lecture, please refer to:
http://www.assyrianchurchnews.com/News/view/NewsID/22

The Words of Wisdom Video: Our Patriarch, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV

2008-02-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

The link below provides this video, which is a strong and holly message from His Holiness regarding the words of God, life, character, love, fighting sin, praying and the strength of soma:

www.theassyrianchurches.com/

The Defrocked Bishop's Ultimate Plan in Joining the Catholic Church In Progress

2008-01-27T17:03:00.000-08:00

This is a report translated from Ankawa.com which proves the intentions of the defrocked bishop to become one with the Chaldean Catholics. In the past, he has repeatedly denied this ultimate intention, but his actions and the latest "declaration of intent" under his new church called "Apostolic Assyrian Catholic Diocese" further proves otherwise.

The translated report states:

[Ashur Soro] and his supporters declare their determination to join the Catholic Church --- [Ashur Soro] and his supporters announced in a statement sent to the site Ankawa.com their determination to join the Catholic Church after a meeting held in California their "declaration of intent". Their establishment of the diocese of their own, called "The Assyrian Catholic Diocese Apostolic" (ACDA), was determined and their hopes have been that this will lead to opening the way to enter negotiations with the Chaldean Catholic Church to agree on a formula for unity.

The Press Release states:

On Thursday, January 17, 2008, and known as the "Day of Thanksgiving" of the Rogation of the Ninevites, for which the Bible says "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Amen, Amen, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you". (John 16:23), the Clergy Conference of the Assyrian Catholic Apostolic Diocese (ACAD) met in the city of Dublin, California to discuss the current situation and consider future plans for re-establishing communion.

The attendees unanimously voted for "declaration of intent" in which they expressed their determination "to engage fully with the Catholic Church" and "the resumption of unity with the Chaldean Catholic Church." As a result of this declaration, they expect the preface to enter into negotiations with the competent ecclesiastical authorities to identify coherent model of this unit...

The original and full post of this report can be found in:
ankawa.com

Assyrian Post's Christmas Message

2008-01-01T14:57:00.000-08:00

Igarta of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV for Christmas 2007-2008

2008-01-01T14:26:00.000-08:00

His Holiness Mar Dinkha's "Igarta" can be viewed by clicking on the link below:

http://maryosipparish.com/Igarta.htm

January 2008 Church Calendar

2008-01-01T14:22:00.000-08:00

Jan. 2, Dukhrana d’Mar Zaia
Jan. 4, Dukhrana d’Mar Maryam
Jan. 6, Eada d’Dinkhe d’Maran
Jan. 7, Baoota d’btoolateh
Jan. 10, Dukhrana d’Mar Youkhanan Zarooqa
Jan. 11, Dukhrana d’Mar Youkhanan Maimdana
Jan. 14, Baoota d’Ninwaye
Jan. 17, Thursday of Thanksgiving
Jan. 18, Dukhrana d’Malpane Atouraye o’Younaye
Jan. 24, Dukhrana d’Mar Youkhanan Bar Malke
Jan. 25, Dukhrana d’Mar Estapanos and Mar Awa Catolichos
Jan. 27, Dukhrana d’Sahda Mar Benyamin Shimmon

New Announcements of the Mar Yosip Parish Motwa for December 2007 and January 2008

2007-12-20T09:46:00.001-08:00

Friday, December 21:
Santa visits the children at the church starting at 6:00 PM

Tuesday, December 25:
Christmas Party at StarLite with Our Singer Robert Betsayad and Live DJ Music - $20/person ($25/person at the door)

Wednesday, December 26:
Christmas Greetings at the Mar Yosip Church Hall at 6 p.m.

Sunday, January 6:
- Feast of Epiphany of Christ will be celebrated by our beloved Bishop, His Grace Mar Odisho Oraham.
- Consecration of the alter of Mar Yosip Parish will also take place, due to the renovations that have taken place inside the altar.
- Lunch will follow Quarbana Qadisha. For anyone who would like to help out in bringing food, please contact Mrs. Sorieh Benyamin at (408)927-7340.

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV Catholics Patriarch’s letter 02/11/2007

2007-11-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV has sent a letter to all the church members regarding the recent court decision:

http://www.stmaryassyrianchurch.com/media/PDF/mar_dinkha_letter.pdf

Assyrian Church of the East in Australia Celebrates the Winning Court Case of the Western California

2007-11-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

Combined parish members in Sydney, Australia celebrate the court case win for the Assyrian Church of the East in California. His Grace Bishop Mar Meelis Zaia addresses the faithful in Edessa Hall.

Here is the URL:
http://assyrianchurchnews.com/index.php?modul=media

We are jubilant here in California and elsewhere by this victory for ACOE and Assyrian nation. Thank you to all the people that worked hard to make this possible. Jesus Christ has always protected this church, He is the rock behind our beloved Patriarch and this church.

[Video Courtesy of AssyrianChurchNews.com]

* Breaking News *

2007-10-29T17:27:00.001-07:00

Assyrian Church of the East won the Summary Judgment and the former bishop, Ashur Soro has been ordered to return all the properties that belong to the Assyrian Church of the East back immediately.

To view the official Summary Adjudication, click on the URL below:
http://www.assyrianchurchnews.com/Court Documents/Decision.pdf

Golden Sacerdotal Jubilee - 31st Anniversary of Patriachal Consecration

2007-10-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

Every year, the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, throughout the world, celebrates the 17th of October as the anniversary of the consecration of His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV to the surpreme office of the Universal Church. With hearts full of intense admiration and love for His Holiness, the faithful of Mar Yosip Parish, along with Mar Narsai Parish of Assyrian Church of the East in the bay area, joined in faith and fellowship to honor and celebrate this special day with His Holiness.

Around 700 people were gathered at DoubleTree Hotel in San Jose, on October 20th, 2007 for a special evening to beseech the Lord Jesus Christ to strengthen His Holiness Mar Dinkha in leading the Holy Church and praising the Lord for blessing the Assyrian Church of the East with a holy and righteous leader.

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, has been tirelessly working toward the rebuilding of our church globally. His goal has been to regain the past glory which had made the Church of the East the most progressive Christian Apostolic Church for more than 13 centeries. He has been engaging in various dialogues with various world leaders in his attempt to simplify the lives of those Christians living abroad with their non-Christian neighbors, so they can live more peacefully with each other. Furthermore, his goal has been to increase the level of theological education among his clergy. It has been His Holiness's goal to appoint only thologians with doctrates as bishops.

The evening was thoroughly enjoyable and spiritually uplifting. The evening was blessed with Bible readings, choir songs, poems and speeches demonstrating their passion for the Mother Church and its Patriarch His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV. A slideshow of historical photographs was also shown, which brought back heartfelt memories to all.

Also, a tribute by Cor-bishop David Royal was provided in recognition of Rev. Deacon Nwiya Nwiya, for his 63 years of service as Deacon. A Plaque was further presented by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV to Rev. Deacon Nwiya Nwiya.

We were fortunate to have His Grace Mar Sargis Yousip, along with His Grace Mar Odisho Orahim among us.

Assyrian Post is pleased to have the privilage of congratulating His Holiness Mar Dinkha on this blessed and memorable event. We pray the Holy Spirit to coninue guiding our Patriarch many more years as the Supreme Head at the helm of the Holy Church. We also would like to take the opportunity to thank our Patriarch for all his hard work, dedication and service for the Assyrian Church of the East.

His Holiness Mar Dinkha's Arrival in California

2007-09-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

His Holiness, Mar Dinkha IV, our Assyrian Church of the East Patriarch has arrived in the bay area on Friday, September 21st. Here is Kassie's Qurbana Schedule in California:

09/23/07 in San Jose (St. Timothy's Lutheran Church) at 1:30 p.m.
09/30/07 in Ceres (Mar Gewargis Parish) at 9:00 a.m.
10/07/07 in Modesto (Mar Zaia Parish) at 9:00 a.m.
10/14/07 in Turlock (Mar Addai Parish) at 10:00 a.m.
10/21/07 in San Francisco (Mar Narsai Parish) at 10:00 a.m.

On 09/30/07, a dinner banquet is held in Honor of the 31st Anniversary of H.H. Mar Dinkha IV's Consecration as Patriarch and Golden Sacerdotal Jubilee. This banquet dinner is held at 6:00 p.m. at Bet Nahrain Cultural Center (Ceres, CA), hosted by Mar Gewargis Parish, Mar Addai Parish, and Mar Zaia Parish.

On 10/20/07, a dinner banquet is organized at the Double Tree Hotel in San Jose, in honor of H.H. Mar Dinka IV's 50th Priesthood and 31st Patriarchal Consecration Anniversaries. This event is hosted by Mar Yosip and Mar Narsai Parishes.

We are so pleased in having His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV visit us, to bless and inspire us.

Mar Yosip Parish - Second Annual Tea Time

2007-08-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

- Copyright © 2007 by Assyrian Post. All rights reserved.

On Sunday, August 26th, the annual Tea time took place in Villa Ragusa Banquet Hall (Campbell, CA). More than 400 ladies of all ages attended this gathering. The purpose of this gathering was to teach and encourage women of all ages the importance of implementing biblical hospitality within their homes, communities, and the marketplace (Romans 12:9-16). It was a celebration of our Assyrian women and their importance to our nation.

Throughout the afternoon, the conversation ebbed and flowed among all women. The ladies enjoyed plenty of tea sandwiches, cakes, cookies, and pastries while drinking their tea and celebrating their strengths. Together, all the ladies who attened this gathering, were able to generate a substantial amount of money to help the needy Assyrian children in the Middle East.

Master of Ceremony was Ashourbella Lazar, who gave an impeccable speech regarding the importance of our Assyrian women and mothers. Our Guest of Honor was the Very Rev. Cor-Bishop David Royel, the Parish Priest of Mar Yosip Parish, who addressed the Assyrian Christian Woman.

Our beloved Rev. Cor-Bishop David Royel, delivered a touching and powerful message:

"The Assyrian Woman has been given a two-fold gift from Our Heavenly Father and Creator. The first is that of being the Backbone of the Assyrian Christian home and family, and the second that of being an Assyrian Mother who raises up sons and daughters for Assyria our mother.

The Blessed Mother of our Lord, the Virgin Mary, is the model woman and discipline for every Assyrian woman. She alone fulfilled at every instant of her earthly life the divine will of God the Father. By this, she was made worthy to become the Mother of our Savior, the Son of God Jesus Christ. Through our obedience to God's Word and submission to His Will, she became 'Full of Grace' and 'Blessed among women'. Through her docility to the Lord's calling, she became the perfect disciple and the woman who reversed the curse given to Eve-giving birth to Life, rather than to death.

The Second gift given to the Assyrian woman is that of imparting the Assyrian identity to her children and to future generations. Instilling the awareness and love for the Assyrian language and the history of these glorious people, the Assyrian woman secures the existence of Assyrian for all posterity. The mighty 'Rod' of God and the Lord's 'Handiwork' which is Assyria will continue to live due to the self-sacrifice and diligence of the Assyrian woman and mother."

We would like to give special thanks and admiration to all beloved Mar Yosip Church Ladies, for all their hard work and effort in organizing this successful event. We pray that God blesses you and your families for your strong faith and support for our mother church, Assyrian Church of the East.

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His Holiness Mar Dinkha's Visit to the Bay Area

2007-08-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

We have been informed that our Patriarch, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, will be visiting the Bay Area shortly. Actual date to be confirmed. We are delighted of this great news as the Bay Area's parishioners look to His Holiness for His blessings to fill our hearts with hope and joy as he has always done.

His Holiness Mar Dinkha Visit to Canada

2007-08-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

His Holiness Mar Dinkha's visit to Hamilton, Ontario:

His Holiness visits Toronto, Ontario:

Copyright © 2007 by Assyrian Post. All rights reserved.

Our Patriarch, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, visited Toronto's parish on Sunday August 5th and held a mass there. Over 2000 parishioners were present in this mass. There was also a dinner gathering held in His Honor inside the church hall, in which His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, gave his holy speech of love and hope. During the following week, His Holiness visited Hamilton, Ontario for a week and held a mass there on Sunday. Following the mass, in the evening, all gathered in a banquet hall in Hamilton to hear His Holiness's speech and have dinner with him. A large turnout and truly a blessing to hear the word of God from our Patriarch.

He further instructed us that the Holy Spirit teaches us to be willing to do good to all, even when injustice has been done to us. These are God's word: 'Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head'. Don't allow yourself to be overpowered with evil. Take the offensive - overpower evil by good (Romans 12:20-21).

Also, His Holiness instructed us that as far as our responsibility goes, we should be living at peace with everyone and never taking vengeance into our own hands, but to stand back and let God punish if He will.

Later in the evening, he was also presented with an original oil painting by one of the church members who devoted the painting to His Holiness.

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV truly exemplifies holiness. His words are encouraging, and full of words of God. We are so blessed to have him as our Patriarch of our Assyrian Church of the East.

Legal Update for Hearing Held on July 30, 2007

2007-08-01T01:22:00.000-07:00

A hearing was held before Judge Kevin Murphy of the Santa Clara County Superior Court on the Church's request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the former Bishop Soro from using, the proceeds of a loan greater than $700,000, secured by the Church's property at 650 Minnesota Avenue.

This lot consisted of the parking lot adjacent to Mar Yosip Parish in San Jose. It was originally deeded to the "Assyrian Church of the East, a California Corporation" and not to the "Diocese of Western California". The former bishop proceeded to correct the title on the deed then recorded this deed, The deed states, "Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, Diocese of Western California, who acquired title as Assyrian Church of the East, a California Corporation, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of California, hereby grants to Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East-Diocese of Western
California, a California Corporation"

Judge Murphy declined to issue a preliminary injunction, stating that "the Church has an adequate legal remedy in damages". The judge had basically indicated that the Church had shown a high probability of success on its legal claims. Hence, he rejected the issuance of a preliminary injunction.

The judge's decision to deny an injunction, is a temporary decision, not binding at trial or with regard to the Church's motion for summary adjudication. Therefore, Assyrian Church of the East believes that the denial of an injunction was fallacious, and it will be presenting a petition to the Court of Appeal to review that decision. In the meantime, further investigation will be perfromed concerning such transaction by the former bishop.

The Church strongly believes that this is a compelling case and that "it will prevail on the merits of all of its claims, including its claims for damages, control of the Diocese of Western California and St. George Parish corporations, and possession of real and personal property".

[Courtesy of AssyrianChurchNews.com]

Latest Finding in Biblical Archeology

2007-07-12T21:58:00.000-07:00

The British Museum's great Arched Room holds its collection of 130,000 Assyrian cuneiform tablets, dating back 5,000 years. The latest finding is by Dr. Michael Jursa, a visiting professor from Vienna, who made what has been called the most important find in Biblical archaeology for 100 years, a discovery that supports the view that the historical books of the Old Testament are based on fact.

Searching for Babylonian financial accounts among the tablets, Dr. Jursa, an Assyriologist came across the name "Nabu-sharrussu-ukin", described there in a hand 2,500 years old, as "the chief eunuch" of Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon.

Dr. Jursa checked the Old Testament and in chapter 39 of the Book of Jeremiah, he found, spelled differently, the same name - Nebo-Sarsekim.

Nebo-Sarsekim, according to Jeremiah, was Nebuchadnezzar II's "chief officer" and was with him at the siege of Jerusalem in 587 BC, when the Babylonians overran the city.

"This is a fantastic discovery, a world-class find," said Dr. Finkel yesterday. "If Nebo-Sarsekim existed, which other lesser figures in the Old Testament existed? A throwaway detail in the Old Testament turns out to be accurate and true. I think that it means that the whole of the narrative [of Jeremiah] takes on a new kind of power."

Cuneiform is the oldest form of writing, which was commonly used in the Middle East between 3,200 BC and the second century AD. It was created by pressing a wedge-shaped instrument, usually a cut reed, into moist clay.

The full translation of the tablet reads: (Regarding) 1.5 minas (0.75 kg) of gold, the property of Nabu-sharrussu-ukin, the chief eunuch, which he sent via Arad-Banitu the eunuch to [the temple] Esangila: Arad-Banitu has delivered [it] to Esangila. In the presence of Bel-usat, son of Alpaya, the royal bodyguard, [and of] Nadin, son of Marduk-zer-ibni. Month XI, day 18, year 10 [of] Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

The World's Richest Man is Assyrian

2007-07-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Carlos Slim Helú, an Assyrian from Lebanon and belongs to the maronitic church. He was born in Mexico January 28th 1940. He has poked Bill Gates from the crown as the richest man in the world. Slim's lead over Gates amounted to billions of dollars.

The 67-year-old started out in real estate and was already affluent enough when he graduated from university with an engineering degree to buy stakes in a stock brokerage and a bottling firm.

Primarily invested in telephone industry, and runs Mexico's largest cellular phone company (América Movil), as well as the virtual monopoly on landlines (Telmex). But Slim's greatest asset is diversification: his investment group Grupo Carso owns an ISP (Prodigy), an online bank, department stores, a cigarette company (Cigatam), and a restaurant chain with hundreds of locations.

Father: Yusef Salim Haddad (aka. Julián Slim Haddad Aglamaz)
Mother: Linda Helu
Wife: Soumaya (passed away)
Son: Carlos Slim Domit
Son: Marco Antonio
Son: Patrick

His father, Julián Slim Haddad Aglamaz originally comes from the town Jezzine, approximately forty km southeast of Beirut, Lebanon.

Just before Seyfo, the 1915-1918 Turkish genocide of Assyrians, Greeks and Armenians, Carlos Slim Helú's father escaped over the Atlantic. His escape away from persecution and genocides ended in Mexico.

Despite the fact that he's the wealthies man in the world, Slim reportedly shuns corporate jets and flashy offices.

Widowed in 1999, Slim has boosted his philanthropic presence and overseen his three sons' careers within his business empire.

One of his famous quotes is: "I've always said that the better off you are, the more responsibility you have for helping others. Just as I think it's important to run companies well, with a close eye to the bottom line, I think you have to use your entrepreneurial experience to make corporate philanthropy effective".
- Carlos Slim Helu

[Photo courtesy of Clintonfoundation.org]

ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST - 21st National Youth Conference 2007

2007-07-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

The Annual National Youth Conference of the Assyrian Church of the East took place in Chicago from July 3-8, 2007. Youth and clergy of many of the following parishes were in attendance:

1) Mar Gewargis Cathedral, Chicago;
2) St. Andrew’s Parish, Des Plaines;
3) St. Mary’s Parish, Detroit;
4) Mar Mari Parish, Yonkers;
5) St. Thomas Parish, New Britain;
6) St. Peter’s Parish, Phoenix;
7) Mar Narsai Parish, San Francisco;
8) Mar Yosip Parish, San Jose;
9) Mar Gewargis Parish, Ceres;
10)Mar Addai Parish, Turlock; and
11)St. Mary’s Parish, Los Angeles
12)Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Sydney – Australia.

On July 4th, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East had breakfast with all the attendees, followed by speeches given by the Very Rev. Cor-bishop Gewargis Toma with the title ‘Enter through the Narrow Gate.’

On July 5th, Rev. Patros Patros gave the speech entitled ‘The Meaning of the Church,’ followed by Rev. Genard Lazar, with the title ‘A Reality Check.’

On July 6th, Very Rev. Cor-bishop David Royel, presented his speech entitled ‘The Eucharist in our Daily Lives.’

The three conference talks presented on July 7th, were by Rev. George Bet Rasho who spoke on ‘Your Relationship with God,’ followed by a speech given by Mr. Ninos Haroon on 'The Capture of Jesus as Recorded in John’s Gospel' and Deacon Raumin Benjamin on the ‘Spiritual Energy Drink.’

On July 8th, the Holy Qurbana service was celebrated by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV at Mar Gewargis Cathedral. On this day, the commemoration of St. Mar Yosip Khnanisho was observed according to the liturgical calendar of the Church of the East. During the Qurbana service, with over a 1000 faithful members, four young men were ordained by His Holiness to the rank of sub-deacon.

A picnic was followed after the service. The youths said their goodbyes to each other and anticipated the next year’s Conference which will be hosted by the St. Peter’s Parish, Phoenix, Arizona.

[courtesy of Assyrianchurchnews.com]
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His Holiness Mar Dinkha Visits Vatican

2007-07-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

His Holiness, Mar Dinkha IV visited Vatican on Thursday, June 21, 2007. One of the reasons for this meeting was to undo some of the damages the former bishop had brought upon. The Assyrian Church of the East has always maintained Christian unity with all churches and would like to continue with this unity of serving one Father, “Jesus”, under its own church independance and leadership of our Holy father Mar Dinkha.

The other reason was about the major concern about the fate of Christians living in the Middle East, particularly in Iraq. The Pope stated: "Today, tragically, Christians in this region are suffering both materially and spiritually. Particularly in Iraq, the homeland of so many of the Assyrian faithful, Christian families and communities are feeling increasing pressure from insecurity, aggression and a sense of abandonment". The goal was to find effective ways to better assist the Christians living in Iraq.

The United Nations said in a report this year that of the 1.5 million Assyrian Christians living in Iraq before 2003, about half had fled the country and many of the rest were moving to "safe areas" in the north of Iraq.

Here you will find Pope's speech when he recieved His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV at the Vatican:

Your Holiness,

I am pleased to welcome you to the Vatican, together with the Bishops and the priests who have accompanied you on this visit. My warm greetings extend to all the members of the Holy Synod, the clergy and the faithful of the Assyrian Church of the East. I pray – in the words of the Apostle Saint Paul – that "the Lord himself, who is our source of joy, may give you peace at all times and in every way" (2 Th 3:16).

On several occasions Your Holiness met with my beloved predecessor Pope John Paul II. Most significant was your visit in November 1994, when you came to Rome, accompanied by members of your Holy Synod, to sign a Common Declaration concerning Christology. This Declaration included the decision to establish a Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East. The Joint Commission has undertaken an important study of the sacramental life in our respective traditions and forged an agreement on the Anaphora of the Apostles Addai and Mari. I am most grateful for the results of this dialogue, which hold out the promise of further progress on other disputed questions. Indeed, these achievements deserve to be better known and appreciated, since they make possible various forms of pastoral cooperation between our two communities.

The Assyrian Church of the East is rooted in ancient lands whose names are associated with the history of God’s saving plan for all mankind. At the time of the early Church, the Christians of these lands made a remarkable contribution to the spread of the Gospel, particularly through their missionary activity in the more remote areas of the East. Today, tragically, Christians in this region are suffering both materially and spiritually. Particularly in Iraq, the homeland of so many of the Assyrian faithful, Christian families and communities are feeling increasing pressure from insecurity, aggression and a sense of abandonment. Many of them see no other possibility than to leave the country and to seek a new future abroad. These difficulties are a source of great concern to me, and I wish to express my solidarity with the pastors and the faithful of the Christian communities who remain there, often at the price of heroic sacrifices. In these troubled areas the faithful, both Catholic and Assyrian, are called to work together. I hope and pray that they will find ever more effective ways to support and assist one another for the good of all.

As a result of successive waves of emigration, many Christians from the Eastern Churches are now living in the West. This new situation presents a variety of challenges to their Christian identity and their life as a community. At the same time, when Christians from the East and West live side by side, they have a precious opportunity to enrich one another and to understand more fully the catholicity of the Church, which, as a pilgrim in this world, lives, prays and bears witness to Christ in a variety of cultural, social and human contexts. With complete respect for each other’s doctrinal and disciplinary traditions, Catholic and Assyrian Christians are called to reject antagonistic attitudes and polemical statements, to grow in understanding of the Christian faith which they share and to bear witness as brothers and sisters to Jesus Christ "the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:24).

New hopes and possibilities sometimes awaken new fears, and this is also true with regard to ecumenical relations. Certain recent developments in the Assyrian Church of the East have created some obstacles to the promising work of the Joint Commission. It is to be hoped that the fruitful labour which the Commission has accomplished over the years can continue, while never losing sight of the ultimate goal of our common journey towards the re-establishment of full communion.

Working for Christian unity is, in fact, a duty born of our fidelity to Christ, the Shepherd of the Church, who gave his life "to gather into one the dispersed children of God" (Jn 11:51-52). However long and laborious the path towards unity may seem, we are asked by the Lord to join our hands and hearts, so that together we can bear clearer witness to him and better serve our brothers and sisters, particularly in the troubled regions of the East, where many of our faithful look to us, their Pastors, with hope and expectation.

With these sentiments, I once more thank Your Holiness for your presence here today and for your commitment to continuing along the path of dialogue and unity. May the Lord abundantly bless your ministry and sustain you and the faithful whom you serve with his gifts of wisdom, joy and peace.

Our Beloved Cor-Bishop David Royel Receives PhD

2007-07-01T08:46:00.001-07:00

A true shining star for our Assyrian Church of the East and our Assyrian Nation:

It is an honor to announce that Rev. Cor-Bishop David Royel, received his doctorate degree on June 8, 2007 in Rome. His thesis on the "Ritual Prayers of Lent of the Assyrian Church of the East", along with his many other academic and spiritual achievements and knowledge is a blessing to us all.

We congratulate Rev. Cor-Bishop David Royel for setting a high precedent for others to follow, as His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV has always emphasized the importance of receiving a strong education.

[Photo courtesy of assyrianchurchnews.com]

Our People Struggling Under War

2007-06-20T07:36:00.000-07:00

No doubt as War reaches its full maturity with both factional Islamic sides fighting it off, our impoverished people are the ones to suffer the most. Many thanks to CNN, for featuring such story, and may the world listen and yield pressure on the UN to draft a resolution for a safe haven for our people. Will the the UN do its job!?

The full article is here............

STAMONU, Turkey (CNN) -- The phone calls were chilling. The voice on the end always delivering the same message: Don't work with the foreigners.
Gorges Toma, an Iraqi electrician who worked with Western contractors, did what he was told and stopped working. But it did little to help save his brother whose charred body was found in his car. "Right after I stopped [working], they killed my brother," Toma says.

He sold his car and anything else of value and moved his family of nine to Turkey, where they remain more than two and a half years later. (Watch family eat on floor in cramped quarters )
The Toma family is among the growing refugee population to have fled Iraq since the war began in March 2003.

According to a report released this week by the U.N.'s refugee agency, there were 1.4 million Iraqi refugees at the end of 2006, most of them in Syria and Jordan. Another 1.8 million Iraqis were displaced inside their own country, according to the report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. ( Iraq drives up refugee count )

In Turkey, there are an estimated 10,000 Iraqi refugees. The Toma family, from Mosul, Iraq, are now living in Kastamonu, a picturesque northern Turkish city nestled in foothills near an ancient castle.

They expected to only be here for a few months. But months turned into years of waiting.
"We just want to get out of here. We have no money, nothing. God is kind, we just want to get out," says the family matriarch, 77-year-old Isin Yelda.

"They killed my son," she says, weeping as she clutches a childhood photo of her son who drove water trucks for the U.S. military.

When the Tomas left Iraq on December 10, 2004, they spent three months in Istanbul, Turkey, where they say they felt welcomed by just about everyone. But the Turkish government places refugees like the Toma family, who are waiting to be resettled, in 21 locations outside of the country's major cities.

And so they ended up here, in this small Muslim city of 60,000 without a church. The Tomas are Christians.

'We are barely getting by'

Assimilating to life in Kastamonu has proven extremely difficult. So difficult, that the family's oldest daughter, Sura, 25, chose to return to Iraq to a convent.

"I miss my sister," 11-year-old Raghad says, breaking down in tears in their cramped two-room home.

Her mother, also sobbing, tries to comfort her.

Gorges Toma explains that it was just too hard for his oldest daughter to stay -- not able to speak the language, not feeling accepted, and being confined.

"She prefers the hell that is Iraq than Turkey. That was the psychological impact of this place on her," he says.

Leaving the town without permission is illegal. Every day, with no exception, all members of the Toma family over the age of 18 must report to local authorities. So each day, they head to the police station to sign next to their names.

Under Turkish law, they also cannot legally work.

"We are barely getting by," says Toma.

The family is able to make ends meet with the help of relatives and others chipping in.
"How am I going to pay off this debt?" the father asks.

"We're able to get odd jobs once in a while, but sometimes we work, and then they don't even pay us."

They all say they never imagined that after leaving Iraq, life would continue to be just as hard, but for different reasons.

"I have to get out [of Turkey]," says 27-year-old Salwan Toma. "I have no desire to go back to Iraq, but here, it's almost like a prison. I want stability, a house, car. I want to get married, to have a life."

He spends most of his time at an Internet cafe chatting online with friends. He just found out that a friend of his was killed in Mosul in a drive-by shooting at a church.
Family accepted into U.S.

The life they call a nightmare might be coming to an end. The family has been notified that they will be resettled in the United States, and they are just waiting to complete the final steps. But they remain anxious until they get that final phone call.

"I don't really have dreams anymore," says Gorges Toma's wife, Selwa.

"America -- it will be better than here."

If they do make it to America, they will be one of the few Iraq refugees. According to the U.S.
State Department, 701 Iraqi refugees have been allowed into the United States since April 2003. The U.S. government has pledged to let in 7,000 Iraqis this year.
The UNHCR says of the ten thousand Iraqis in Turkey, 556 cases have been accepted to go to the United States.

"Whatever is in America," Toma says, "it will be a thousand times better than what we had in Iraq or Turkey because there are work opportunities. There is no discrimination, no hatred."

Raghad Toma, 11, and her family fled Iraq in 2004 after her father received death threats and her uncle was killed.

2007-05-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

Court Case Update

2007-05-21T00:09:00.000-07:00

A hearing was held on May 18, 20o7 for an amended motion for a Preliminary Injunction/Temporary Restraining Order against the former bishop Ashur Bawai Soro before the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois . The Assyrian Church of the East is seeking relief from the defendant for making use of the name of the Assyrian Church of the East and its derivatives, especially in regards to the solicitation of funds for the former bishop's personal legal campaign. The opposing party has 14 days to respond to the Church’s amended complaint, therefore, another hearing is scheduled to take place on June 1, 2007. Then, the Church will have another 14 days to respond before a Case Management Conference is set up.

Source: http://assyrianchurchnews.com/index.php?modul=news&iy=12

H.H. Mar Dinkha's Letter to the President of the United States of America

2007-05-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

His Holiness Mar Dinkha's letter, dated May 9th, 2007 is regarding the current situation of the Christians in Iraq. In this letter His Holiness is pleading for serious protection of the Christians of Iraq.

For the Original Letter, the following link is provided:
http://www.assyrianchurchnews.com/media/MAR%20DINKHA%20IV.pdf

May 9, 2007

The President of the United States of America
The Honorable Mr. George W. Bush
The White House1600 Pennsylvania AvenueWashington, DC
The Honorable Mr. George W. Bush,

In the name of God, may I begin with my sincere greetings to you and to the other members of your government.

As the Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, I feel that it is my obligation to inform you of the currently bleak situation of the Christians of Iraq.

I acknowledge that this is a difficult phase for all Iraqi people and I pray that this struggle will ultimately result in a fair and successful democratic system. However, in this process, Iraq will suffer a significant loss if added protection is not given to the tiny Christian minority of Iraq.

Iraqi Christians are not members of any insurgency groups; they are not violent; they live in peace and brotherhood with others; they are loyal and honest. Their desire is to coexist peacefully with their Muslim brothers, be it Sunnies or Shiites.

Throughout the ages, Christians have defended the soil and integrity of the country and they have played a key role in building the civilization of Iraq.

Today, a small Christian minority is subjected to the most terrifying, intimidating and threatening circumstances; our church receives alarming daily reports of such atrocities brought upon Christians by some Islamic extremist groups. Such reports are countless, but for the purpose of this plea I provide you with general overview, presuming with confidence that you will have been briefed with details of such atrocities.

Christian families, in all regions that they reside, including Dora, Baghdad and Mosul are being forced to leave Iraq or convert to Islam or pay the Jizya (a protection tax imposed on non-Muslims), otherwise they face death or deportation from their homes.

Furthermore, pamphlets are distributed in all such regions; threaten the killing of Christians if they do not abandon their homes and towns, at times, within 24 hours. Some are abducted and murdered without reason; properties are confiscated and families are thrown into displacement.

Additionally, the Christian minority are victim to religious intimidation and atrocities. Churches are being bombed and destroyed; priests have been found decapitated. Christians are, by the issuing of a Fatwa, forbidden to wear crosses; crosses of churches are being destroyed; Christian women are being persecuted, at times in form of a rape and beheading, for not wearing the Hijab.

For Iraq and its Christian minority, this is a humanitarian crisis. Christians have little or no protection of such abuses by Islamic extremist factions; the inevitable result of which is the mass exodus of our community from Iraq. Never before in the history of Iraq has such a refugee crisis arisen against the Christian minority of Iraq. If this critical situation is not effectively addressed, then the unfortunate consequences will be the elimination of Christianity from Iraq and the destruction of a cradle of civilization, in recent years famous for its mosaic of cultural, civil and religious variety and coexistence.

I trust that you will consider the seriousness of my pleas; and I pray that you will assume a more active and responsible role in implementing mechanisms and programs which will provide added and essential protection and security for Christians, such that all Iraqis, can live together in harmony and peace; and so that Christians are not driven into force migration from their homes and country, thereby creating a phenomenal refugee problem for your government and the international community.

May God enhance your leadership with wisdom and good judgment.

Yours Faithfully,
Khanania Mar Dinkha IV
Catholicos PatriarchAssyrian Church of the East

This letter was also addressed to the following members:

H.H Pope Benedict XVI
The Roman Catholic Church

The Honorable General Secretary Ban Ki-moon
The United Nations Organization

Dr. Javier Solana
The European Union

Dr. Konrad Fraser
The Secretary General
The World Counsels of Churches

The Most Rev'd Rowan Williams
The Archbishop of Canterbury

The Honorable President Putin
The President of Russia

The Honorable Mr. Tony Blair
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The Honorable Mr. Dominique de VILLEPIN
The Prime Minister of the Republic of France

The Honorable Mr. Stephan Harper
The Prime Minister of Canada

Kalou Soulaga 2007 in the Bay Area

2007-05-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

This year's Kalou Soulaga was a massive success. It was held by Mar Yosip Parish in San Jose in the beautiful Vasona Lake County Park. Over 500 Assyrians attended this event. There were games organized for adults and children with live music, entertainment and great food. It was amazing to see our fellow Assyrians enjoying their relaxing time with their family and friends and all strongly linked together through our Holy church.

God bless our Holy Assyrian Churh of the East for always bringing us together. Many thanks to all those who helped in this successful event.

FEAST OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

2007-05-13T21:24:00.000-07:00

The Feast of the Ascension of our Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on the fortieth day after the Great and Holy Feast of Easter. The Feast itself commemorates when, on the fortieth day after His Resurrection, Jesus led His disciples to the Mount of Olives, and after blessing them and asking them to wait for the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit, He ascended into heaven.

The story of the Ascension of our Lord, celebrated as one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Church, is found in the book of the Acts of the Apostles 1:3-11. It is also mentioned in the Gospels of Mark (16:19) and Luke (24:50-53). The moment of the Ascension is told in one sentence: "He was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took Him from their sight" (Acts 1:9).

Christ made His last appearance on earth, forty days after His Resurrection from the dead. The Acts of the Apostles states that the disciples were in Jerusalem. Jesus appeared before them and commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the "Promise of the Father". He stated, "You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now" (Acts 1:5).

After Jesus gave these instructions, He led the disciples to the Mount of Olives. Here, He commissioned them to be His witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). It is also at this time that the disciples were directed by Christ to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). Jesus also told them that He would be with them always, "even to the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20).

As the disciples watched, Jesus lifted up His hands, blessed them, and then was taken up out of their sight (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9). Two angels appeared to them and asked them why they were gazing into heaven. Then one of the angels said, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him going into heaven" (Acts 1:11).

Scripture readings for the Feast are the following: At Vespers: Isaiah 2:2-3, 62:10-63:9; Zechariah 14:1,4,8-11. At the Orthros (Matins) Mark 16:9-20; At the Divine Liturgy: Acts 1:1-12; Luke 24:36-53.

2007-04-06T01:53:00.000-07:00

Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, the Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East has granted us with an Easter message:

I have translated his message from Assyrian to English and it can be viewed below.

In this holy day which has filled the hearts of Christians of the great globe with joy as Christ is risen from the dead, where he says : "I have come with light to the world, so all who believe in me do not stay in the darkness" Eugena 46:12 He also says : "I was Nour world. do not follow me from walking in the darkness, but have the light of life "Eugena 12:8 All creatures are renewed through Christ who is the head of the beginning of the new life. The Resurrection of Christ gave us new life, as well as joy and hope for humanity. When Christ was risen from the dead, a great salvation was achieved for all nations. Christ is the peace and safety of the peaks of human beings, which puts us in good stead to celebrate peacefully His resurrection. Lord says to his students : "I leave you peace. my peace I give you. " Eugena 27:14 Christ the King, has granted us a divine peace, namely, to be detached from every creature and sin, and to belong entirely to God. When Christ arose from the dead, He left in the tomb the linen cloths, which are the symbol of our sins and imperfections. He came forth triumphant from the sepulchre. In Him there is freedom, light, strength, beauty, life. His Divine Life is the model of ours, and He has merited for us the grace of living for God as He did. Through the Sacraments our souls are clad with Sanctifying Grace, the principle of Divine life. This life presupposes separation from all mortal and venial sin, so that the soul, being free, may act solely under the inspiration of grace and for God alone through faith and love. Then it is that Christ's life blossoms forth in our soul, as St. Paul says, "It is now no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20). This, then, is the spirit of Easter, the Paschal grace: detachment from all that is human, earthly, created; the full gift of ourselves to God, through Christ. In this holiday, which is our pride of all the holidays, the Joy of Christ is given to the church, so we say to all of you sons of our holy Assyrian church and all our brothers and sisters of the Chaldean and Syriac Church and all Christians :

God Jesus Christ bless you. "I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 50:15) Jesus Appears to His Disciples "on the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. (John 19-21). We are also happy because, Christ was risen from the dead and is sitting on the right of the Father in Heaven. "Christ says : 'What is the bread of God? God's bread is the One that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Then Jesus was asked "Sir, give us this bread always." . Then Jesus said, "I am the bread that gives life. The person that comes to me will never be hungry. The person that believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35 )

Christians and believers sincerely hope it is necessary to put our faith in the hands of Jesus, who will help you build your spiritual house on a solid foundation. "Build Your House on the Rock. Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (Mattew 7:24-27)

If not for the elders, not moving away from our church, because it away from the Church of Christ, but away from Christ. يتوجب ان نحصن انفسنا بالصوم والصلاة والسلوك الصالح والتقي في وجه قوى الشيطان الذي هو عدو العدل.Must Nhsan ourselves Balsom, prayer and good behavior and met strong in the face of the devil is the enemy of justice. يقول الرسول: "أَمَا تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّكُمْ هَيْكَلُ اللهِ، وَرُوحُ اللهِ يَسْكُنُ فِيكُمْ؟" 1 كورنثوس 16:3The prophet says : "As you know the structure of God, the spirit of God lives in you?" 1 Corinthians 16:3 استلوا بايديكم سيف الروح الذي هو كلام الله.Astloa hands Seif spirit, which is God's words. "كَيْ لاَ نَكُونَ فِي مَا بَعْدُ أَطْفَالاً مُضْطَرِبِينَ وَمَحْمُولِينَ بِكُلِّ رِيحِ تَعْلِيمٍ، بِحِيلَةِ النَّاسِ، بِمَكْرٍ إِلَى مَكِيدَةِ الضَّلاَلِ. بَلْ صَادِقِينَ فِي الْمَحَبَّةِ، نَنْمُو فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ إِلَى ذَاكَ الَّذِي هُوَ الرَّأْسُ: الْمَسِيحُ" افسس 14:4"In order not to be in the post-children Madturbin and laptops all Wind education, clumsy people, disingenuously framed to error. But true to love, grow in everything to the one who is the head of Christ : "Ephesians 14:4 لانماء جسد الكنيسة فان الايمان مع المحبة والاحترام والاستماع الى بعض هي امور لازمة.For the development of the body of the church, the faith with love and respect and listen to some of the things to the crisis. وكلما كنا مرتبطين بالمسيح فاننا سنعطي ثمارا صالحة وهنيئة وسنعيش مسرورين في هذا العالم.Whenever we associated Christ, we will produce valid and comfortable and happy to live in this world. يقول المسيح: "أَنَا الْكَرْمَةُ وَأَنْتُمُ الأَغْصَانُ. الَّذِي يَثْبُتُ فِيَّ وَأَنَا فِيهِ هذَا يَأْتِي بِثَمَرٍ كَثِيرٍ، لأَنَّكُمْ بِدُونِي لاَ تَقْدِرُونَ أَنْ تَفْعَلُوا شَيْئًا."Christ says : "I grapevines and you browse. That proves I am in this comes Pthmer many, because you Bdone You can not to do something. " يوخنا 5:15Eugena 5:15 ويقول ايضا: "أَنَا هُوَ الطَّرِيقُ وَالْحَقُّ وَالْحَيَاةُ. لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ يَأْتِي إِلَى الآبِ إِلاَّ بِي."He also says : "I was the right path and life. No one comes to the father except me. " يوخنا 6:14Eugena 6:14 لذا، كاخوة في المسيح كونوا صادقين مع بعض، ولا تكون محبتكم خادعة، بل كونوا كارهين للشرور وتابعين للصالحات.Thus, as brothers in Christ Be honest with some, and be Mahbtkm misleading, but formed averse to the evil, affiliated to grow up to be good. ما تعتقدونه جيدا لكم اطلبوه ايضا لاخوتكم في المسيح.What Tattakaddounh well you Atalboh also brothers in Christ. كونوا متواضعين ورحومين، ولا تعتقدون في افنسكم انكم اكثر حكمة من الاخرين، "لاَ تُجَازُوا أَحَدًا عَنْ شَرّ بِشَرّ. مُعْتَنِينَ بِأُمُورٍ حَسَنَةٍ قُدَّامَ جَمِيعِ النَّاسِ. إِنْ كَانَ مُمْكِنًا فَحَسَبَ طَاقَتِكُمْ سَالِمُوا جَمِيعَ النَّاسِ. لاَ تَنْتَقِمُوا لأَنْفُسِكُمْ أَيُّهَا الأَحِبَّاءُ، بَلْ أَعْطُوا مَكَانًا لِلْغَضَبِ. لاَ يَغْلِبَنَّكَ الشَّرُّ بَلِ اغْلِبِ الشَّرَّ بِالْخَيْرِ."Rest and Rhomin mediocre, and you believe in Avenskm you more wisdom than others, "not exceeded one from the evil of human beings. Magnin good things shin all people. That was only possible for you Salmwa all people. Not Tntekamoa for yourselves dear loved ones, but they gave us a place of anger. Iglbenk not evil, but most evil with good. " رومية 16:12-21Roumieh 16:12-21 هذه الوصايا من الكتاب المقدس هي فضائل علينا بسماعها وتطبيقها، كنسيا واجتماعيا وقوميا.These commandments of the Bible we are virtues hearing and application bishop, socially and nationally. اذا اراد احد ان يكون موقرا في المجتمع الكنسي والقومي، فان عليه ان يدرك ان عليه ايضا توقير صاحبه.If one wanted to be distinguished in the community and the national church, it should also realize that it's sacrilege. لا احد يعتقدن ذاته انه اعلى من زملاءه ويتفاخر ويكون انانيا، ولا يعتقدن احدا ان كل ما يقوله من راي او اقتراح هو صائب.No one believed that the same higher than boasting about his colleagues, and be selfish, and believe that each one of what opinion or suggestion is right. بل عليه ان يتشاور مع من يعمل معهم، ولا يرتكب اخطاء ويلحق الاذى والخسارة بالمجتمع الكنسي والقومي.But he must consult with those working with them, and commit mistakes and hurt and loss and national church community. لان اراء وقرارات شخص لمفرده تكون اكثر عرضة للاخطاء، في حين ان اعضاء مجمع معين يرتكبون اخطاء اقل.Because the views and decisions of a single person to be more susceptible to errors, while the Academy members who commit certain mistakes less. الكنيسة والامة ليستا ملك اي شخص، لذا لا يحق لشخص لمفرده ان يكون متسلطا برايه.Church and the nation are not owned by any person, therefore, not entitled to the individual person to be hegemonic wars opinion. لنتعلم من ربنا يسوع المسيح من بعد عماذه حين خرج للكرازة اختار لنفسه اثني عشر رسولا ليكونوا دوما معه، وهذا مثال صالح اثبت فيه المسيح ان الانسان هو محتاج للعون.To learn from the God of Jesus Christ after Amath while left of the haughty chose for himself twelve messenger to be always with him, and this a good example of Christ proved that man is in need of help. ان ابن الكنيسة الذي له رتبة ومسؤولية في مجال ودرب الكنيسة يجب ان يكون مؤمنا وصادقا ومطيعا، قال المسيح لتلاميذه: " إِنْ أَرَادَ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ وَرَائِي فَلْيُنْكِرْ نَفْسَهُ وَيَحْمِلْ صَلِيبَهُ وَيَتْبَعْنِي."The son of the Church, which has the rank and responsibility in the area of the path of the church and must be insured and truthful and obedient, Christ said to his students : "One wants to come back Flenker himself and bear the Cross and follow me." متي 24:16When 24:16 انكار النفس تعني التحمل، التضحية، التواضع والتسامح، لذا علينا ان نكون محبين وموقرين ومطيعين بعضنا لبعض.Self-denial means endurance, sacrifice, humility, tolerance, we have to be loving and distinguished and vulnerabilities of each other. كنيسة المشرق الاشورية الرسولية الجامعة المقدسة لها قوانين سنهاديقية التي حددت واجبات كل عضو في الكنيسة.Orient Apostolic Assyrian Church of the Holy League with laws Senhadiqih identified the duties of each member of the church. من المهم ان يكون ابناء كنيستنا مطيعين، وحريصين على الالتزام بقوانين ومقررات المجمع السنهاديقي من اجل نهوض وتقدم الكنيسة.It is important that the people of our church tensions, and anxious to comply with the laws and decisions of the compound Alsenhadiqi for progress and the advancement of the church. على كاهن كل رعية مسؤولية هذه الانشطة:The priest each congregation responsibility of these activities : 1- صفوف التعليم المسيحي للاطفال، وعلى الكاهن ان يقوم بتعليم المعلمات والمعلمين الذين يقومون بالتعليم.1-Christian education classes for children, and the priest that the education of teachers and teachers who education. 2- فرقة الانشاد الكنسية.Task 2-Choral Church. 3- لجنة الشبيبة الكنسية.3-Church Youth Commission. 4- يتم تحديد يوم واحد في الاسبوع من اجل التعليم المسيحي لجميع ابناء الرعية، فمن الضروري ان يشارك ابناء الرعية في دورات التعليم المسيحي ليعززوا بنيان ايمانهم المسيحي.4-be determined one day a week for Christian education for all sons of the parish, it is essential that the people involved in parish education courses to enhance the texture of the Christian faith Christian. يقول الرسول: " إِذًا الإِيمَانُ هو من السماع، والسماع هو من كلمة الله" رو 17:10The prophet says : "If faith is of hearing and hearing the word of God is" Rowe 17:10 لذا عليكم الاستماع الى كلمة الله وتعلمها كي لا ينهار بنيان ايمانكم بالرياح والاعاصير وكلمات غير المؤمنين.So you listen to the word of God and learning so that it does not collapse texture faith through all the winds and storms, and the words of non-believers. بناتنا وابناءنا بالروح،Daughters and sons spirit, نطلب اليكم كمسيحيين مؤمنين في كل بلد تعيشون فيه ان تكونوا مواطنين مخلصين لسلطاتكم وملتزمين بحفظ قوانين البلد الذي تعيشون فيه لتكونوا بذلك اكثر محبة وتوقيرا لدى مسولي البلد.We ask you as Christians believing in each of you that you are faithful to your citizens and committed to the conservation laws of the country in which you may live where you are so affectionate and more courtesy to the Msole country. كونوا مع جيرانكم بمحبة وسلام، احترموهم لتكونوا محترمين، لان الرب يسوع المسيح يوصينا: "احب جارك مثل نفسك" لوقا 28:10Be with your love, and peace, to you Ahtermohm respectable, because the Lord Jesus Christ appraisers : "love your neighbor as yourself" Luke 28:10 حيثما عشتم لا تنسوا انكم بنات وابناء كنيسة المشرق الاشورية الرسولية الجامعة المقدسة، كونوا بقرب كنيستكم وناشطين فيها وملتزمين بالطقوس والاسرار والتقليد الرسولي والقوانين السنهاديقية للكنيسة التي يعتمدها ويقرها المجمع السنهاديقي الحالي، لان كنيستنا هي والدتنا الروحية التي علينا بمحبتها وتوقيرها.Where do not forget that you preserve the daughters and sons of the Church of Orient University Holy Apostolic Assyrian, formed near Knestkm and activists and committed ritual and tradition and the secrets laws Alsenhadiqih See and the Church adopted and approved by the academy Alsenhadiqi this, because our church is a spiritual Aldtna that we Bmahbtha and Toukirha. كأمة، لا تكونوا متشككين بمن تكونون، لان اباءنا ومنذ الفي عام حفظوا الاسم واللغة الادبية لامتنا الاشورية مع ايمانهم المسيحي، لذا يتوجب ان يكون لكم غيرة واعتزاز بتاريخكم كأمة اشورية، ان الابنية القديمة والاثار المتبقية والالواح المنقورة في بين النهرين تشهد على تاريخ اباءنا.As a nation, do not be skeptical, including you, as our fathers and since the year two thousand were at the name and literary language of our nation with the Assyrian Christian faith, therefore, must be to you and the other Btarejkm pride as a nation zone, the old buildings and the remaining panels Almenkorh in Mesopotamia witness to the history of our forefathers. ان لنا هبتان ممنوحتان لنا من الله: ايماننا المسيحي لكنيسة المشرق الاشورية، وانتماءنا القومي الاشوري.That we Hptan Mmnoahtan us from our faith in God : Christian Assyrian Church of the Orient, and our belonging to the National Assyrian. في الختام،In conclusion, نقول ثانية لجميعكم: ليكن عيدكم مباركا، واننا نصلي الى الله الآب ليحفظكم في امن وسلام، واننا نأمل ان تحتفوا بعيد قيامة سيدنا يسوع المسيح بفرح وسلام اينما تعيشون يا ابناء كنيستنا المقدسة وامتنا الاشورية، ومع جميع اخوتنا مسيحيي العالم، ونصلي بخاصة من اجل الامن والسلام في الوطن العراق وكل المعمورة عامة.We say again to all of you : the holiday was a blessed, and we pray to God to protect the security, peace, and we hope that he Thatvua far our Lord, Jesus Christ with joy and peace of you wherever you sons of our church and our holy Assyrian, and with all our fellow Christians the world, and especially pray for peace and security at home and Iraq globe general. لتكن نعمة ورحمة ربنا يسوع المسيح مع جميعكم الى الابد الأبدين .Let the blessing of God and the mercy of Jesus Christ with all of you forever eternity.

8th Annual Assyrian Flag Raising 2007 (San Jose, CA)

2007-03-30T23:53:00.000-07:00

Date:

Saturday March 31st, 2007

Time:

2:00PM
Location:

70 West Hedding Street (Downtown San Jose)

Latest Court Case News

2007-02-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

The attorneys of the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East appeared in the Santa Clara County Superior Court on February 6, 2007 in the Case Management Conference. A Trial Setting Conference was set for April 24, 2007, to determine a court trial date. The actual court date exceeds 90 days from the Trial Setting Conference date of April 24.

The attorneys of the Assyrian Church of the East are preparing a Motion for Summary Judgment, "where the Church (through her attorneys) will move that Judge Huber adjudicate this case before it reaches trial, based on the merits of the vast amount of documentary evidence favoring the Church’s position". There will also be an attempt to depose the former bishop soon. We have found out that subpoenas have already been sent out to persons of interest. The former bishop has been trying to delay the matters and stall the setting of a trial date. In any case, our church’s attorneys are ready to proceed.

"It is requested that the faithful sons and daughters of the Assyrian Church of the East pray for their Holy Church during these trying times when the Church of the East is being persecuted and brought to suffer with the crucified Lord".

Source: Assyrianchurchnews.com

Baouta’d Ninevaye or the Rogation of the Ninevites

2007-01-31T23:30:00.000-08:00

Baouta’d Ninevaye or the Rogation of the Ninevites ܒܥܘܬܐ ܕܢܝܢܘܐ which means 'Nineveh's Wish' commemorates the repentance of the people of Nineveh at the preaching of Jonah, the Prophet.

God instruct Jonah to go to Nineveh and condemn Assyrians for their “wickedness”, and to preach faith in His unity and virtuous conduct. But the people jeered at him and paid no heed to his call. Jonah was so disgusted with the attitude of his people that he decided to leave his town and take to the sea.

When his ship was in deep waters, it was rocked by storm and Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a big fish. As he lay in the belly of the fish, Jonah wondered why he was being punished when God had chosen him to be His messenger; where had he gone wrong? He then realized that he should not have acted in anger, because God wished that he be patient and more persuasive.

He prayed for forgiveness and for another opportunity to prove himself. Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the company of the righteous. [68:50]

After three days in the belly of the fish, God listened to his prayers and miraculously took him out of the belly of the fish and cast him, albeit in a sickly condition, upon a deserted shore. Having recovered in the shadow of a gourd-tree, he went to Ninveh, where he pursued his mission, this time with greater persuasion and forbearance and despite all the jeers of the people, continuing with his work to bring them to the right path.

God told Jonah: Had your Lord so wished, all people everywhere would have been believers. But that is not His way, hence do not force anyone to take to Our path unless they do so willingly. No one can believe except by the will of God; only those who are skeptics do not understand His message. [10:99-100]

The Ninevites repent and declared a public fast. God then relented and did not inflict on them the punishment he had threatened. This shows God's universal love and mercy which extend to all human beings.

For Assyrians the Rogation of Ninevite has a nationalistic and a spiritual significance: In this way Assyrians were always reminded of Nineveh throughout the history until the ruins of Nineveh were discovered in early half of the 19th Century. Assyrians were also reminded of their importance in the history of the Church and spiritual development of Judeo-Christian tradition, for the Ninevites symbolized the longing of all humans for a universal God. The God who is so gracious and compassionate, the God who watches over His people and protects them from their evil ways.

During the three days of Baouta (fasting) people abstain from all food and water in their plea for forgiveness. Traditionally, at the end of the fasting period those that have fasted would partake of three handfuls of parched barley, mixed with a like amount of salt, and then sleep. Assyrians have different recipe's for such salty mixture or "pookhon" as it's called.

Baouta d’Ninevaye or the Rogation of Ninevites is an important Assyrian tradition which must be noted for its historic and spiritual significance.

It's Our Honor

2007-01-29T09:06:00.000-08:00

H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, The Queen of United Kingdom and Head of the Anglican Church of the England recognises Australians who have provided direct support or service of a close personal nature through honors and awards within her own personal gift.

It is an honor to make the following announcement:

On January 26, 2007, His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia, Bishop of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East and General-Secretary of the Holy Synod was included in the honor roll and was made a Member of the Order of Australia. Australian honors recognise and celebrate ordinary Australians who show courage, self-sacrifice, dedication, love and service to their community and humanity. Their stories help shape the country’s enduring qualities in the present and the future.

For more information, please refer to the following link:
http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1133856&search_type=advanced&showInd=true

Congradulations H.G. Mar Meelis for such major award and accomplishment. You are one of the living treasures of our Assyrian Church of the East. We are so proud of you not only for being our Assyrian Church of the East Bishop, but also as our model Assyrian citizen. God bless you.

Assyrian Flag

2007-01-06T21:40:00.000-08:00

Golden Circle at the center represents the sun (Shamash), which gives life to all things on earth.
The four pointed star surrounding the sun symbolizes the land; and its light blue color represents happiness and tranquility.
The wavy stripes extending from the center to the four corners of the flag symbolize the three major rivers flowing through the land of Assyria.
The dark blue stand for the Assyrian word 'Prat' meaning "Peruta" (abundance).
The red stripes stand for courage, glory and pride.
The white lines in between stand for tranquility and peace.
Above the blue star is a representation of the image of God Ashur, the ancient Assyrian supreme deity. The emblem of Ashur features the deity standing in a circle with two eagle wings spanning and over stretching its length on two sides. Ashur has drawn a bow and his arrow is ready to fly. His image represents an Assyrian guardian who is looking after the the country, the flag, and the nation it represents.
On top of the flagstaff is the standard of King Sargon I, who established the first Assyrian empire, signifying the might and great civilization achieved.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-22T19:50:00.000-08:00

"This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:9-10)
"…the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

"To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).

May Christmas and all through the year be a wonderful catalyst for enjoying the precious and simple pleasures of being, close together in the warm familiarity of friends and family, renewing relationships and sharing memories.

Wishing you all a joyful and bright Christmas. May God bless you this Christmas season and throughout the year!

Christmas Day Party

2006-12-06T20:57:00.000-08:00

Mar Yosip & Mar Narsai Parishes
Proudly Presents: Christmas Day Party

Featuring our beloved singer: Tamraz Tamraz

Avalon Club
777 Lawrence Expressway
Santa Clara, CA 95051

December 25th, 2006
Doors will open at 7:30 P.M.
Tickets: $25 per person
Food and Drinks to be sold

For More Information Please Contact:
Admon Dawood: 408.839.6129 Sabrina David: 415.794.6903

All Saints' Night 2006

2006-11-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

Mar Yosip Parish of San Jose celebrated their 15th Annual "All Saints' Night" on October 31, 2006 and it was a fun and a successful event for all ages.

All Saints Night's deepest roots are decidedly pagan, and unlike Christmas and Easter, it has kept those pagan roots, despite its now Christian name. The controversy surrounding this holiday goes back well over a thousand years to when Christians confronted pagan rites of appeasing the lord of death and evil spirits. But the early Christians didn't simply speak out; they tried to institute a Christian alternative. All Saints Night was a celebration of all "the holies" - those people who had died faithful to Christ.

Light against darkness. Life against death.

Certainly of all people, we should be joyful. The challenge is to use the creativity of the Creator to celebrate both the light and life He brought into this world, and His victory over evil - and evil spirits - which extends into the next.

We were also fortunate to have His Grace Mar Odisho Orahim as our Guest of Honor. Children were all gathered around him, making it one of the most memorable times for all of us to be part of.

Our children all had an amazing time jumping, bouncing and playing games with their fellow Assyrian friends and family.

We were blessed to be part of this memorable event. God bless our nation, our Assyrian heritage and most importantly, our Assyrian Church of the East.

30th. Anniversary of the Consecration of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV Catholicos Patriarch

2006-10-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, October 15th 2006, we celebrating the 30th Anniversary of our beloved Patriarch's Consecration. The successful dinner party took place at the San Jose City Hall Rotunda in Downtown San Jose.

We were fortunate to have His Grace Mar Odisho Orahim - Bishop of Europe, Sweden, and Western Diocese, along with His Grace Mar Meelis - Bishop of Bishop of Australia and New Zealand as our Special Guest of Honor, at this event. Our other Guests of Honor included, Rev. Archdeacon Nenos Michael - Mar Narsai Parish in San Francisco, Rev. Cor-Bishop David Royel - Mar Yosip Parish, San Jose, Rev. Fr. Auchana Kanoun - St. George Parish, Ceres, Rev. Fr. Jameel Wardah - Mar Addai Parish, Turlock. We also had the Mayor of San Jose Honorable Ron Gonzales, and Council Members (Dist. 1,2,9 - San Jose) Honorable Linda LeZotte, Honorable Forrest Williams, and Honorable Judy Chirco as our special Guests of Honor.

Around 500 people were present and took part in this memorable event.

We congradulate His Holiness Mar Dinkha on this blessed and memorable event. We are so grateful to have a remarkable spiritual leader and Patriarch as His Holiness Mar Dinkha. We await his safe return back to the U.S. as he completes his mission in the homeland.

More about this event will be posted, along with some photos.

Official Patriarchal Visit to Arbil

2006-09-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, along with a few of our Archbishops and Bishops from different dioceses and countries left on Thursday, September 14 to visit the city of Arbil, North of Iraq. Here are some photos regarding this historic visit to homeland.

To hear the speech of His Holiness Mar Dinkha, upon his arrival, click on the following link:

www.ankawa.com/video/mardenkha2.wmv

Let us all pray for our Holy Fathers' protection and safe return back. Honoring our Holy Fathers, we wish for their mission to be successful and productive.

Photos taken from AssyrianCoaliton.com

2006-08-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

Community Youth Leaders Come Together For The Sake Of Our Youth

2006-08-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

An important meeting was held on July 29th, 2006 in Sydney, Australia to discuss the growing concept of youth leadership within our community, nurtured by our churches and supported by our community organizations.

In attendance were representatives from the Ancient Church of the East, Light of Faith Youth Group of the Ancient Church Of The East, St. Peter and Paul Parish of the Assyrian Church of the East, Youth Association of the Assyrian Church Of The East, Assyrian Australian Association, The Assyrian Australian Academic Society, STARTTS and Mt. Druitt Ethnic Community Agency, as well as other youth leaders in our community. Although unable to attend on this occasion, representatives of the St. Toma Chaldean Church expressed their interest.

Each group had an opportunity to provide a brief presentation on the experiences and difficulties they have encountered with their connection to youth. A number of pertinent issues were also raised in regards to new arrivals and their transition into Australian society.

Major highlights of the meeting were:

The youth vulnerability to crime,
The need for development of various activities to engage young people,
Supporting families and working with community organizations to assist with effective implementation of strategies.
As a community, we have an obligation to help our youth rise above their problems, through the support of our churches and other social groups, utilizing the resources available within the community.
The need for unity in thought and a commitment to act towards finding a resolution for the problems youth encounter.
All groups agreed that they would commit to working on strategic planning, to be brought forward to the next Youth Leaders Meeting scheduled for 9 September 2006.

One of the main strengths of young leaders is their first-hand experience with youth issues. Their work in our churches and community organisations has provided resources and ministries that cater for the young people, which have witnessed lives changed from difficult and adverse circumstances. Mentioned in the meeting were examples of work already done by the youth groups, including street outreach to young people, educational support and mentoring, assisting young people involved in criminal proceedings and importantly, provision of spiritual guidance and social activities in safe and supervised settings. However, there was an acknowledgement that planning at a community level would be beneficial as strategies are diversified and groups draw on each other’s experience and community-wide resources.

This meeting was a positive step for our community to unite and work together for the sake of our youth.

Announcement - First Assyrian Women’s Conference to be Held in Sydney

2006-08-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, St. Hurmizd Parish Greenfield Park held their very first Annual Women’s Conference on August 5th, 2006. This conference had workshops in faith, marriage, children and women’s health issues.

Purpose of the Conference was to bring together the women in the Assyrian community given their roles as homemakers, career women and spiritual guides within their families.

For more information refer to the official website: http://www.assyrianchurch.com.au/

Two Eastern Orthodox Christian Leaders Met

2006-08-04T13:52:00.000-07:00

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV the Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East met the Patriarch of the Malankara Orthodox Church, His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Didimos I in the Dominican University of Chicago on July 16th 2006.

H.H. Baselios Marthoma Didimos I has recently been ordained Patriarch, and for the first time was visiting his parish in the U.S.. His Holiness is the 89th successor to the apostolic throne of St. Thomas, who founded Malankara Orthodox Church in Kerala-India around 52 AD. Being the Supreme Head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, His Holiness will henceforth lead one million Malayalee Christians of Malankara.

Many metropolitans and bishops from different denominations attended the event. Attendees were also official members of the state and General Council of India. The event began by a praying in English. The first speech was delivered by H.H. Mar Dinkha IV in Assyrian. It was translated to English by Chorbishop David Royel afterwards.

H.H. Mar Dinkha IV was asked to light the first candle as it is a custom among the Indian churches. The event has been broadcasted on AssyriaSat, the Assyrian Global Satellite Television Network. The hospitality of the parishioners and their love and passion left good memories for the days to come.

Assyrian Church of the East Youth Conference 2006

2006-08-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

Almost 190 attendees were able to be make it to this event, who were gathered from among the following dioceses and parishes:

1) From the Diocese of Eastern USA, administered by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, there were participants from Mar Gewargis Parish (Chicago), Mar Andreos Parish (Des Plaines), Mar Mari Parish (Yonkers), Mar Addai Parish (Turlock) and Mar Zaia Parish (Modesto);

2) From the Diocese of Western California, headed by His Grace Mar Odisho Oraham, the participants came from Mar Yosip Parish (San Jose), Mar Gewargis Parish (Ceres) and Mar Narsai Parish (San Francisco);

3) From the Diocese of Western USA, headed by His Grace Mar Aprim Khamis, the participants were from St. Mary’s Parish (Los Angeles), Mar Patros Parish (Phoenix), Mar Paulus Parish (Orange County) and Rabban Hurmizd Parish (San Diego).

4) Also in attendance from the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, headed by His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia, were the following representatives from the St. Peter and St. Paul English-speaking parish in Sydney: Rev. Genard Lazar (pastor of the parish), Rev. Deacon Robin Hermizd and Robert Khnanisho.

It was decided that the next Youth Conference (2007) will take place in Chicago, Illinois and will coincided with the happy occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Priestly ordination of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch. Various spiritual and festive activities will be arranged in order to properly celebrate this joyous occasion. Furthermore, in light of the up-coming rogation of St. Mary the Blessed Virgin (August 1 to 15), it was decided that the first three days of the rogation (from August 1 to 3) the Youth will fast in order to supplicate God for unity in the Assyrian Church at large. This fast was inspired by the thoughts and prayers of many of the Youth that the Assyrian Church might unite and become one Church again as before the various schisms.

At the end of the Youth Conference, a vote of thanks was offered by all of us gathered, to the parish of St. Mary’s in Los Angeles for organizing and hosting this year’s Youth Conference. Special thanks were offered to Rev. George Bet-Rasho for his endeavors in putting the conference together.

We praise the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our hope and salvation, for this new surge of an inward stirring for holiness and the Spirit of the Lord to dwell in us as his children. The Holy Spirit is indeed working in the Assyrian Church of the East, and in her Youth—the tomorrow of the future of both our Assyrian Church and Nation.

http://www.assyrianchurch.com.au/article.htm

Commemoration of Mar Mari the Apostle - August 4th

2006-08-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

August 4th marks the Commemoration of Mar Mari the Apostle. Here's a brief background information on Mar Mari:

The Assyrian Church of the East traces its origin to the Apostle Thomas along with Mar Addai and Mar Mari, who were among Christ's seventy disciples (Luke 10:1) and who preached in Mesopotamia between AD 37- AD 65. After the martyrdom of Mar Addai two of his disciples, Mar Agai and Mar Mari continued his work.Mar Mari was the disciple of Mar Addai, who was dispatched by Mar Addai from Edessa to the East. The Acts traces Mar Mari’s itinerary and preaching in Mesopotamia until his arrival in Babylonia, where he subsequently went on to find a church in Seleucia-Ctesiphon, on the Tigris River near Baghdad. By the early fifth century, the birthplace of Christianity in Babylonia became the patriarchal seat of the Church of the East (currently, Assyrian Church of the East), whose ecclesiastical jurisdiction and cultural influence extended during the early medieval period as far as China. Mar Mari's missionary activity reaches its peak in the end of the 80’s of the first Christian century. According to the Acts, Mar Mari founded over 300 churches or communities. He was later buried at Deir Qunni, which was known as one of the foremost pilgrimage sites and ‘basilicas’ of the patriarchal see.

Rev. David Royel Ordination (Syamida) - Cor-Bishop Ordination July 15th 2006

2006-08-03T20:42:00.000-07:00

Rev. David Royel Ordination (Syamida) - Chicago, IL. by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholic Patriarch of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East

Pictures taken from AssyrianCoaliton.com

Rev. David Royel Ordination (Syamida) - Priest Hood Ordination May 23rd 1999

2006-08-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

Pictures taken from AssyrianCoaliton.com

Latest Event

2006-07-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

His Holiness Mar Dinkha was invited as the Guest of Honor to attend a significant event, celebrating the 20th Ordainment Anniversary of H.B. Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. Cardinal Sfeir is the 3rd Maronite Cardinal and the 76th Patriarch of the Maronite Church.

This event was held on July 3rd, 2006 in Chicago. Seventy two Maronite Church Metropolitans and Bishops along with the Metropolitan of Assyrian Church of the East in Iraq, His Beatitude Mar Gewargis Slewa, and Rev. Antwan Latchen of the Assyrian Church of the East in Chicago, as well as many parishioners of both churches were present.

This was a very successful event and H.H. Mar Dinkha was praised for the remarkable ACOE history and heritage and for all the obstacles that this church has had to endure. Then, the opening prayer was asked to be recited by H.H. Mar Dinkha in Assyrian language.

Many thanks and words of admiration were given to our Patriarch Mar Dinkha for leading our church despite all the hardships that we have been faced with.

This event marked a day to be remembered by all our people, including our fellow parishioners, as well as for the Maronites who are of Assyrian ethinicity, and are around 5 million in population, living in Lebanon and Latin American countries.

Taken from AssyrianCoaliton.com

The Launching of the ACOE, Diocese of Australia and New Zealand’s Website

2006-06-20T23:43:00.000-07:00

Announcing the launching of the ACOE, Diocese of Australia and New Zealand’s Website:

The visitors of this website http://www.assyrianchurch.com.au/ will gain spiritual, educational and social development and support.

H.G, Mar Meelis Zaia: The Doctrine Of the Holy Trinity

2006-06-20T23:19:00.000-07:00

His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia's Doctrine of Trinity is an excellent article that shows the mystery of the Trinity and its three properties, which are consubstantial. This article truly is a must read not only for those interested in Christian theology but also for all who want to learn more about Christian life and experience.

This excellent article can be read here:
http://www.assyrianchurch.com.au/TheDoctrineoftheHolyTrinity_HisGraceMarMeelis.pdf

A Tribute To the ACOE and H.H. Mar Dinkha IV

2006-06-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

The link below will show you an excellent video, along with great pictures and music as a tribute to the Assyrian Church of the East and His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV. Let us all pray that Our Lord Jesus Christ sustain and strengthen our Holy church forever. AMEN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fusY1iUJR50

His Grace Mar Odisho's Sermon and Speech on Mar Benyamin Shimun

2006-06-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

His Grace Mar Odisho, the Bishop of Europe, celebrates Qurbana Qadeesha (Holy Eucharist) at St. Mary's Parish, Los Angeles in memory of the Great Martyr (Sahda) of our Assyrian Church & Nation, His Holiness Mar Benyamin Shimun:

Video 1: Mar Odisho's sermon on Sunday 7th of Epiphany 2006
http://www.stmaryassyrianchurch.com/MOd/MOserm1.htm

Video 2: Mar Odisho's speech on Mar Benyamin Shimun
http://www.stmaryassyrianchurch.com/MOd/MOspeech.htm

Videos Courtesy of
© 2006 Assyrian Enterprise — "Making History Today"
(323) 465•ATOR www.assyrianenterprise.com

Assyrian Delegation Visits Two Roman Dicasteries

2006-06-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

By mandate of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, a delegation of the Assyrian Church visited two Roman dicasteries (Vatican offices) responsible for ecumenical affairs with other Churches.

The Assyrian delegation was comprised of:
1) His Grace Mar Meelis Zaia, Bishop of Australia & New Zealand and Secretary of the Holy Synod and the president of the Assyrian Church’s commission on dialogue;
2) His Grace Mar Odisho Oraham, Bishop of Europe and the Diocese of Western California;
3) Rev. William Toma, student at the Pontifical Oriental Institute (Rome);
4) Rev. David Royel, Mar Yousip Parish (San Jose) priest and assistant parish-priest of St. Mary’s (Los Angeles); and
5) Rev. Polos Benjamin, student at the Pontifical Oriental Institute (Rome).

On Thursday, April 26 the Assyrian delegation headed by His Grace Mar Meelis met with His Eminence Mar Moussa I Daoud, the Cardinal-Prefect of the Oriental Congregation. This Vatican dicastery (office) is responsible for the Oriental (Eastern) Catholic Churches, that is, those in communion with the See of Rome. The Cardinal was made aware of certain improper actions on the part of some clergy of one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in the affairs of the Assyrian Church. The colloquium with the Cardinal was very congenial and he was very happy to have received the Assyrian delegation. He further extended his heartfelt greetings to His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV.

On the same morning, the Assyrian delegation met with His Eminence Cardinal Walter Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. This Vatican office is directly responsible for dialogue with other non-Catholic Churches. The Assyrian Church has been engaged in dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church through this dicastery since 1984 when His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV met with the late His Holiness Pope John Paul II and formally requested that dialogue ensue between our two Churches.

Cardinal Kasper was very happy to receive the Assyrian delegation and in turn extended his greetings to His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV and the entire Synod of the Assyrian Church. In this colloquium, the Assyrian delegation apprised the Cardinal of certain matter that directly concerned the dialogue between Rome and the Assyrian Church.

Both Churches reiterated their readiness to continue and improve the dialogue in the hope of a fruitful and satisfactory result. The Cardinal assured the Assyrian delegation of the Roman Catholic Church’s goodwill and intention of continuing the dialogue, and in improving it in many ways. The meeting ended on a very hopeful and congenial note.

His Grace Mar Meelis apprised His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV about the fruitful results of both meetings, and concerning the very lively hope of continuing the dialogue between the Assyrian Church of the East and the Roman Catholic Church.

St. Andrews Parish Soccer Tournament

2006-06-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

The tournament took place at Maryville City on May 7th, 2006. His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV was present and officially opened and blessed the event. Below are some of the pictures taken from this successful event.

Pictures taken from AssyrianCoaliton.com

The Apostolic Origins of the ACOE- By Father David Royel

2006-06-04T11:53:00.000-07:00

In manuals of church history written thus far, the Christian Church has been hitherto divided into two fundamental parts, namely, East and West – Orthodox East and Latin West, that is. However, this in fact does not do justice to the glories of the Eastern portion of the Church of Christ, which has been basically characterized as and wholly identified with the ‘Eastern Orthodox’ and has been identified with the Greek-speaking Church. The recent film which all of us, or most of us, witnessed during the Easter season was the Passion of the Christ, produced by Mel Gibson. The importance of this film, no matter what one may think of its content or script, was the fact that it made use of the original languages of that age which made the film more unique, and it brought forth a rejuvenated interest in the language of our Lord – which is still used to this very day in the form of its daughter-language known as Syriac – a language utilized to this very day by one of the more glorious of the ancient eastern Churches of yester-year – the Assyrian Church of the East.The origins of the Church of the East, variously known as the ‘Assyrian Church,’ ‘Church of Persia,’ ‘Nestorian Church’ etc. may be news to other Christians at large. The history of the expansion of Christianity from the Holy City (Jerusalem) westward is commonly known and well-chronicled. However, it is the spread of the Gospel eastward and particularly to the other parts of the Near East that is not so well-acquainted with. It is the humble aim of this brief outline to expose the history of the apostolic foundation of this once-glorious Church, and to whet the appetite of church historians, and especially that of the children of this once-glorious and most missionary-minded of all the Churches of Asia.

Apostolic Origins in Light of the New Testament
The evangelist Matthew mentions at the very beginning of his Gospel an event which marked the marvelous event of the birth of Christ, namely the coming of the Magi – the Wise Men of the East. The Gospel-writer narrates: “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying: ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him’” (Mt 2:1-2). The evangelist continues that once having reached Judea, and having encountered Herod the tetrarch, these wise men had finally reached the Christ-child: “When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was” (Mt 2:9). According to St. John Chrysostom (d. 407): “The Incarnate Word on coming to the world gave to Persia, in the persons of the Magi, the first manifestations of His mercy and light... so that the Jews themselves might learn from the mouths of Persians of the birth of their Messiah.” According to tradition, the Persians had learned of the coming of the Messiah from the prophecies of Zoroaster, who was said to have been a disciple of the prophet Jeremiah during the captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians in 721 B.C. Thus, we see that the prophecy concerning the coming of the promised Messiah was known in the land of the Persians as well. In fact, the great patriarch of the Church of the East, Timothy I (780-823) asserted that it was exactly these magi who preached the coming of the Messiah in the land of the Persians.The second major New Testament event which we cite with regard to the apostolic origins of the Church of the East is the fulfillment of the prophetic event of the Pentecost which took place in the Upper Room 50 days after the Resurrection. Being one of the three ‘pilgrim feasts,’ many Jews were to be found in Jerusalem coming from different parts of the Roman Empire, and also from beyond the limes of the Roman Empire. St. Luke, the evangelist and historian of the Primitive Church, narrates in the Acts of the Apostles: And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another. Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappodocia, in Pontus, and Asia…(Acts 2:5-9).

Thus, we see that there were Jews present in the Holy City for the feast of the Pentecost (Feast of Weeks) who heard the preaching of the apostles, and especially the discourse by Peter, and received the Gospel of Jesus Christ “…then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). It is highly likely that these Persian Jews took back with them to their homeland the Gospel of Jesus Christ, thus sowing the seeds of the Gospel among their fellow Jews in the Diaspora as well as among the non-Jewish inhabitants within the Persian Empire, which was at that time the second superpower after the Romans.Although the Book of Acts follows the journey of St. Paul westward to Antioch and beyond, where the believers were first called ‘Christians’ (Acts 11:26), the expansion of the faith beyond the limits of the Roman Empire is not chronicled in Luke’s chronology. There are, however, a number of secondary sources that chronicle the spread of the Gospel to the Aramaic-speaking peoples of Mesopotamia who identify themselves as being the descendents of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians who later adopted the language of the Aramean nomads, i.e. Aramaic, that settled in their lands sometime in the ninth century B.C.

The Early Christian History of Edessa
The stage for the setting of Christianity in the Syriac-speaking East is the city of Edessa (modern-day ‘Urfa’ in southeastern Turkey), the capital of the small kingdom of Osrhoene. Located on a tributary of the mighty Euphrates, it laid on one of the greatest trade routes to the East that went through the ‘Great Syrian’ desert to the south and the mountains of Armenia to the north.The city already existed before the Seleucid period (336-323 B.C.) and was re-founded by the Greeks who gave it the name of ‘Edessa,’ or ‘Urhai’ in Syriac (the root of the Greek ‘Osrhoene’ and the Turkish ‘Urfa’). It was ruled by a series of monarchs of Arab origin and became the capital of an independent city-state sometime in 130 B.C. with the defeat of the Seleucids by the Parthians who pushed the Greeks back into Asia Minor, and later became a Roman colony in 214 A.D. By 258 or 259, it was already a part of the Persian Empire under the Sassanids.King Abgar Ukkama (‘The Black’) reigned over the kingdom of Edessa from 4 B.C. to 50 A.D., however it is only with Abgar IX (179-214 A.D.) that there is any certainty concerning the reception of Christianity by the monarch. According to others, it is Abgar ‘VIII,’ since a coin of this monarch issued between 180 and 192 depicting his head shows a cross on his headdress.The so-called Chronicle of Edessa, a sixth-century Syriac document originally penned in Estrangelo, narrates that in a flood which damaged the city of Edessa in 201 the Christian temple was destroyed.

The Doctrine of Addai
An important document narrating the establishment of Christianity in the Syriac-speaking East is the so-called Doctrine of Addai the Apostle, written in Syriac and come down to us in its final form sometime between 390 and 400, and which contents are certainly earlier than the date of its writing. This document chronicles the coming of Addai (Thaddaeus) believed to have been one of the Seventy-Two disciples (cf. Lk 10:1) sent by Thomas, one of the Twelve, to the small kingdom of Osrhoene or Edessa (in Syriac Urhai), some 160 miles east of Antioch. The Doctrine of Addai recovers the letter of Abgar to Jesus and the Lord’s response, promising eternal life to the king and the inhabitants of his suzerain kingdom for believing in Christ’s name, and also that the enemies of the realm should not prevail over it. According to the tradition, the apostle Addai came to Edessa in the year 343 of the Greeks (32 A.D.),…in the reign of our master Tiberius, the Roman Emperor, in the reign of king Abgar, the son of king Ma’nu in the month of October, and early on the twelfth day, Abgar Ukkama sent Marihad and Shamshagram, chieftains and honored men of the kingdom, and with them Hannan, the faithful archivist, down to the city called Elev-theropolis but in Aramaic Beth Gubrin, to the Venerable Sabinus, son of Eustorgius, a representative of our master, the emperor, he who ruled over Syria and over Phoenicia and over the whole country of Mesopotamia.

The emissaries are sent to the Holy City to see Christ and record his deeds to Abgar, and …when Marihab, Shamshagram and Hannan, the archivist, saw these men, they too, went with them to Jerusalem, they saw many men coming from far away to see Christ, because his wonders had been rumored to distant countries. And when Marihab, Shamshagram and Hannan, the archivist, saw these men, they too, went with them to Jerusalem. And when they came to Jerusalem they saw Christ and they rejoiced together with the crowd that was attached to him, and they saw the Jews, too, standing in groups, and meditating on what they out to do with him, because they were puzzled, seeing numbers of their own people ready to profess him, and they stayed in Jerusalem ten days. And Hannan, the archivist, wrote down what he, himself, saw of the doing of Christ, besides all the rest that he had done, before their coming to Jerusalem. And they set out and came to Edessa.

The emissaries of the Edessene king continue to recount all that they saw Christ do and say in the Holy City. When the king had heard about all of the marvelous deeds of Christ he sent them on another journey to Jerusalem:And when king Abgar heard this, he was much surprised and astonished, he and his great men who stood before him. And Abgar said to them: ‘These mighty acts are not of man, but of God because nobody but God only can call the dead to life again.’ And Abgar desired to set out to Palestine in order to see with his own eyes all the doing of Christ. But as he could not go over the land of the Romans, not being his possession, and as he did not want to be the cause of bitter enmity, he wrote a letter and sent it to Christ by means of the hand of Hannan, the archivist, and he set out from Edessa on the 14th day of Adar (March) and he entered into Jerusalem on the 12th day of Nisan (April) on the fourth day of the week. And he found Christ in the house of Gemaliel, the high priest of the Jews…

The primitive church historian Eusebius bishop of Caesarea (ca. 264-340) narrates what many scholars have called the ‘legendary’ letter of Abgar V, king of Edessa, to Christ seeking healing from his illness. The letter is quoted in Eusebius’ Historia Ecclesiastica (I, 13:5-10) and preserves the Greek recension of the letters. Thus, Eusebius’ Greek source and the Syriac Doctrine of Addai, constitute the twofold source of the letters of Abgar and Christ. The first of the letters is that of Abgar to Jesus:Abgar Ukkama, the Toparch, to Jesus the good Savior who has appeared in the district of Jerusalem, greeting. I have heard concerning you and your cures, how they are accomplished by you without drugs and herbs. For, as the story goes, you make the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, and you cleanse lepers, and cast out unclean spirits and demons, and you cure those who are tortured by long disease and you raise dead men. And when I heard all these things concerning you I decided that it is one of the two, either that you are God, and came down from heaven to do these things, or are a Son of God for doing these things. For this reason I write to beg you to hasten to me and to heal the suffering which I have. Moreover, I heard that the Jews are mocking you, and wish to ill-treat you. Now I have a city very small and venerable which is enough for both.

Jesus then replies to Abgar by way of the king’s emissary and scribe Hannan (‘Ananias’ in the Greek form):Blessed are you who did believe in me not having seen me, for it is written concerning me that those who have seen me will not believe in me, and that those have not seen me will believe and live. Now concerning what you wrote to me, to come to you, I must first complete here all which I was sent, and after thus completing it be taken up to him who sent me, and when I have been taken up, I will send to you one of my disciples to heal your suffering and give life to you and those with you.

Eusebius of Caesarea is said to have visited Edessa sometime in 323, where he is alleged to have found the records of the letters in Syriac and which he most probably made use of as sources for his history of the events. He states with regard to the Abgar who heard of the preaching and divine healings wrought through Christ, “In this way King Abgar, the celebrated monarch of the nations beyond the Euphrates, perishing from terrible suffering in his body, beyond human power to heal, when he heard much of the name of Jesus and of the miracles attested unanimously by all men, became his suppliant and sent to him by the bearer of a letter, asking to find relief from his disease.”The Historia Ecclesiastica of Eusebius then continues to narrate the outcome of the letters and the mission of Addai, who is identified with Thaddeus one of the Twelve in the Syriac version (cf. Mt 10:3) and one of the Seventy-Two in the Eusebian tradition,making use of a Syriac source:Now after the ascension of Jesus, Judas who was also Thomas, sent Thaddaeus to him as an Apostle, being one of the Seventy, and he came and stayed with Tobias the son of Tobias. Now when news of him was heard, it was reported to Abgar, ‘An Apostle of Jesus has come here, as he wrote to you.’ So Thaddaeus began in the power of God to heal every disease and weakness so that all marveled.

And when Abgar heard the great and wonderful deeds that he was doing, and how he was working cures, he began to suspect that this was he of whom Jesus had written saying, ‘When I have been taken up, I will send to you one of my disciples who will heal your suffering.’ So he summoned Tobias, with whom Thaddaeus was staying, and said, ‘I hear that certain man of power has come and is staying at your house. Bring him to me.’ Tobias came to Thaddaues and said to him, ‘The toparch Abgar summed me and bade me bring you to him in order to heal him.’ And Thaddaeus said, ‘I will go up since I have been miraculously sent to him.’ These things were done in the 340th year [29 A.D.]

It is clear from the tradition that Addai was a Jew and that he had close ties with other Jews residing at Edessa. The fact also remains that there existed other nations (‘Gentiles’) in the small kingdom, and the vast majority held on to the old Assyro-Babylonian religion of their forefathers, with minimal influences from the Hellenic culture. The same is true of the city of Harran near Edessa, which enjoys close ties to the Abrahamic tradition; it too enjoyed pagan religion and cult. Syriac was the spoken and written language of the kingdom, as the many tombstone and monumental inscriptions (some of which pre-date the Christian era) indicate.

The multi-cultural city of Edessa was thus early-on evangelized by apostles from Jerusalem, and the existence of Jews in the city provided the crucible for the growth of the faith of Christ, and the existence of merchants and silk-traders provided the personnel for the apostolic work and the spreading of the faith. According to L. Tang: “Even in the country of Assyrians, new converts taught their sons and daughters of their own people and built houses of prayers there secretly, through the danger of fire-worshippers and the adorers of water.”Even though the letters were condemned as ‘apocryphal’ in the West by Pope Gelasius in 494, the Syriac-speaking churches of the East certainly considered them to be founded upon historical truth.

The famed theologian St. Ephrem the Syrian (ca. 306-373) refers to the Abgar tradition, though not necessarily to the letters themselves, in his Testament: “Blessed is the town in which you dwell, Edessa, mother of the wise; by the living mouth of the Son has it been blessed by the hand of his disciple. That blessing will dwell in it until the holy one reveals himself.”The portrait of Christ which Ananias is reported as having brought back with him to Edessa was known to have been brought to Constantinople from Edessa in 944 A.D. However, the letters are referred to in a letter addressed to Augustine of Hippo in 429, and are also known to Jacob of Serug (451-521) and in the chronicle of Joshua the Stylite – which refers to the event of warding off the Persian king Kawad from besieging Edessa in 503 A.D.

The Testimony of Bardaisan
Another early witness to the Abgar tradition is the Book of the Laws of Countries written by the Gnostic Bardaisan (154-222)in Syriac sometime at the beginning of the third century. Bardaisan was born in 154 at Edessa from supposedly pagan parents, and was brought up by a pagan priest. Sometime in 179 A.D., at the age of 25, he became a Christian while one day passing by the church founded by Addai, where he heard the Scriptures read and interpreted; he was soon baptized by the bishop of Edessa Hystasp, and ordained deacon by him.Bardaisan refers to the Abgar tradition which would certainly have been common knowledge at Edessa. With reference to the abandonment of the rite of castration in the worship of the Mother Goddess cult at Hierapolis (Mabbug), Bardaisan states: “…when Abgar the king believed [in Christ] he decreed that anyone who castrated himself should have his hand cut off. And from that day on to this time, no man castrates himself in the country of Edessa.” This is certainly the same Abgar who is credited with being involved in the evangelization of Edessa. It seems that Bardaisan was educated with the monarch Abgar VIII (176-213), and was favored at the royal court; it is from his acquaintance with Abgar that Bardaisan makes the assertion concerning the evangelization of Edessa. Bardaisan also mentions the presence of Christians in Parthia, Gilan (southwest of the Caspian Sea), Bactria (between the ranges of Hindu Kush and the Oxus), Persia, Edessa and Media, and by the year 200 A.D. knew of the presence of Christians over the known parts of Asia.

The Evangelization of Adiabene
The other major territory of missionary activity which directly concerns the history of the Church of the East is the evangelization of Adiabene in northeastern Mesopotamia, some four hundred miles east of Edessa. In the ancient world, Adiabene was historically known as ‘Assyria.’ The well-known Roman topographer Strabo, writing his famous Geographica in 20 A.D., mentions Assyria and Parthian Persia east of Asia “whose eastern provinces touched the borders of India.”He refers to the strip of land exactly between the rivers Tigris and Euphrates as ‘Assyria,’ and all that is west of that he terms ‘Syria.’In 247 B.C. the third Persian dynasty known as the ‘Parthians’ came onto the scene by re-conquering Persia from the Greeks and made Persia Asian again by capturing the Seleucid emperor at Babylon in 140 B.C. The Parthians had captured Edessa from the Romans, and later made Seleucia-Ctesiphon (on the Tigris, north of old Babylon) their capital. They also had the policy of making petty ‘client-kingdoms,’ among them being Edessa, Adiabene and Armenia. Adiabene was farther east of Edessa (on the upper waters of the Tigris near the old capital of Nineveh) and “its capital, Arbela (modern-day Erbil), was to become the center for Christian missionary advance into central Asia.”There was a Jewish community at Adiabene, considered stronger than that of Edessa, which saw in the first century A.D. the conversion to Judaism of Helena, the queen of Adiabene, along with her two sons. There also existed a strong Jewish community in Nisibis as well, probably the strongest in the region. Furthermore, the cities of Edessa, Nisibis and Adiabene were connected by the silk-road, and the Jewish, Christian and pagan constituencies of these cities lived side-by-side, and the strong Jewish presence allowed for the swift progress of Christianity in these merchant centers.According to S.H. Moffett, “…like Edessa, Arbela was one of the earliest Christian centers in oriental Asia. One theory…holds that the faith came first to Adiabene and from there was carried back west to Edessa,”rather invalidating the generally-held theory that the first Christian missionaries came to Edessa from Jerusalem itself.

Scholars, however, generally agree that the new Christian faith was preached and gained more followers in the villages of the Adiabene region rather than in the metropolis itself.The famous Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in his Jewish Antiquities (XX, 20) relates the story of the conversion of the royal family of Adiabene to Judaism. Josephus narrates that the king of Adiabene married his sister Helena, and sent his son Ezad to remain with Abednergal the king of Karkha d’Meshan near the Persian Gulf.Ezad later succeeded his father to the throne of Adiabene in 36 A.D., thus becoming a contemporary of Abgar Ukkama, in the meantime having married the daughter of his host. The interesting part of the story, however, is that while Ezad was still at Meshan, a certain Jewish merchant named Ananias had converted some women in the royal court to Judaism. Later, Helena the queen mother had already converted to Judaism independently from the influence of her son and Ananias. Ezad later was granted the governance of Nisibis by the Parthian emperor Walagash I, who later opposed him. Both Ezad and his mother Helena were buried at Jerusalem, where their tombs are to be found to this very day. This story later gets interwoven with the Abgar tradition of Edessa, and the conversion of Helena of Adiabene is later confused with the much later story of the finding of the Cross by Helena the mother of Constantine.In the Arabic legend about Jesus (Rosat al-Safa), the Abgar story is retold with different characters. The King of Nisibis Nersai (rather than the ‘Ezad’ of Josephus) invites Jesus to visit him, who is in then accompanied by Thomas, Simon and James. In fact, the name of the king of Adiabene at the time of Abgar Ukkama was in fact one Narseh who is known as the king of the ‘Assyrians’ (Adiabene). According to the legend, Thomas was followed at Edessa by Addai, accompanied by his disciples Aggai and Mari, who arrived three years after the Ascension of Christ and who are said to have gone as far as the ‘great lakes of the east’ converting the nations to Christianity. Once returned to Edessa, they found the Christian king Abgar dead and succeeded by his son Ma‘nu, who seems to have been a heathen. He is supposed to have killed Addai on July 3 (ironically the feast of St. Thomas), and was buried in the church which Addai himself had built. Addai is also believed to have been the apostle of the region of Adiabene, modern-day Arbel. With the presence of a great Jewish diaspora, and the fact that Syriac was also the tongue of Adiabene, the connection with missionaries from Edessa is almost indubitable. Whether by Addai himself or a disciple, the tradition points to Edessa as its source of evangelization. The infamous document known as the Chronicle of Adiabene, attributed to Mshikha-zkha and perhaps written sometime between 550-569, traces the line of apostolic succession of the first 20 bishops of Adiabene from 104 to 511 A.D.The first bishop was Pqida, who in turn is connected to the earlier evangelistic efforts of Addai at Edessa, and according to the Chronicle it was Addai himself who ordained Pqida as bishop.Pqida is reported as having been converted to Christianity from Zoroastrianism by witnessing a miracle brought about by the apostle Addai from Edessa having raised a dead girl to life. Thus, the Chronicle makes no mention of the other disciple of Addai – namely Aggai and Mari – and directly links Pqida to Addai the apostle of Edessa.Though the existence of an episcopacy in Adiabene in the first Christian century may be debatable, we may conclude that there is no reason to seriously doubt the conversion of Adiabene – already a commercial center enjoying a strong Jewish and pagan presence – or that one of its earliest converts to Christianity was a certain ‘Pqida.’ Among the other bishops mentioned in the Chronicle is a certain Semsoun who is supposed to have been martyred in 117 or 123, after Trajan had defeated the Persian monarch Khosraw sometime in 116. However, the Parthians were generally tolerant of the other religious constituencies in the realm, and it is only later under the Sassanids that persecution of the Christians is well documented. However, other Syriac documents seem to differ on who the apostle of Adiabene was. The Syriac Doctrina Apostolorum (‘Doctrine of the Apostles’) gives the credit to Aggai, the disciple and successor of Addai, as being the one who brought the Gospel to Adiabene.The much later history of St. Mari one of the disciples of Addai, also known as the Acts of Mari, records him as the missionary of Adiabene, as well as that of the twin royal city of Seleucia-Ctesiphon in the late first Christian century.Aggai succeeded his master Addai, and is said to have preached “over the entire country of Persia, also in Assyria, Media, Babylonia and many other places, and he traveled to the boundaries of India.”He too was martyred under Ma‘nu after refusing to weave royal garments for the pagan monarch. The Doctrine of Addai states that “Aggai died in consequence of the misdeed of the prince, and too sudden to ordain Palut by imposition of hands.” The tradition then goes on to state that Palut fled to nearby Antioch where he was ordained by Serapion, the bishop of the city, and the acts of the martyrdom of Sharbil and Barsamya attest to the episcopal career of Palut. Although the accounts of these Edessene martyrs are spurious, it is known that the great persecution ordered by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in 303 took its toll in the ‘blessed city’ of Edessa. However, it was the villagers rather than the city dwellers that felt the sharpest sting of the persecution. The Doctrine states that Aggai, Palut, Barshlama and Barsamya:ministered with [Addai] in the church which he had built…A large multitude of people assembled day by day and came to the prayers of the service and to [the reading of] the Old Testament and the New [Testament] of the Diatessaron. They also believed in the resurrection of the dead…They kept also the festivals of the Church at their proper season…Moreover, in the places round about the city, churches were built and many received from [Addai] the hand of priesthood. So the people of the East also, in the guise of merchants, passed over into the territory of the Romans in order to see the signs which Addai did. And those who became disciples received from him the hand of priesthood, and in their own country of the Assyrians they found disciples, and made houses of prayer there in secret from fear of those who worshipped fire and adored water.

The mention of the Christians of ‘the country of the Assyrian,’ which certainly refers to Adiabene, having to practice their religion in secret seems to indicate a date after 226 A.D. when the Parthian dynasty fell to the intolerant Sassanids.The Doctrine also heavily supports the theory that Edessa – and consequently its dependents in nearby Adiabene and Nisibis – was ecclesiastically dependent on the primatial see of Antioch. According to the Doctrine:…because he [Aggai] died suddenly and quickly at the breaking of his legs, he was not able to lay his hands upon Palut. And Palut himself went to Antioch, and received the hand of priesthood from Serapion, bishop of Antioch, the same Serapion who also received the hand from Zephyrinus, bishop of the city of Rome, [who was himself] of the succession of [those who had received] the hand of priesthood of Simon Peter, who had received it from our Lord…

One of the more famous Christians of Adiabene and “…first verifiable historical evidence of Christianity as far east in Persia as Adiabene” was the philosopher and Biblicist Tatian (120-175)who refers to himself as being from ‘Assyria,’ hence the Latinized form of his name Tatian Assyrus. According to S.H. Moffett, “This remarkable biblical scholar, linguist and ascetic was born of pagan parents in the ancient Assyrian territory of northern Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq),” that is in Adiabene, and was a convert to Christianity, later becoming a disciple of Justin Martyr.Early on he learned Greek, wrote his apology Against the Greeks sometime in 172 before settling in Edessa, or according to others he went back to his native Adiabene, “or somewhere near it east of the Tigris ‘in the midst of the Rivers.’”He is the famous compiler of the Diatessaron, or ‘harmonized’ Gospel – which he probably composed in Syriac and was used by all of the Syriac-speaking Churches in the East up to the time of its suppression by Rabbula the West Syrian bishop of Edessa sometime after 411 A.D.

The St. Thomas TraditionIntimately bound up with the Addai tradition of the evangelization of Edessa is the preaching of St. Thomas. Early on, Thomas – one of the Twelve – was considered to be the one who sent Addai to Edessa from the Holy City. A Syriac document probably written at Edessa itself at the beginning of the third century (ca. 200 A.D.) is the Acts of Judas Thomas. The Acts, which are the “oldest narrative account of a Church in Asia beyond the border of the Roman Empire,”narrate the missionary career of Thomas, who was certainly the apostle of the Parthians, Medes and other peoples east of Parthia. According to the Syriac tradition of the Acts, it is Judas Thomas (which may be the source of the identification of the Edessene Addai with the apostle ‘Judas Thaddaeus’ of the Twelve) who was the apostle of Edessa, and is sometimes referred to as ‘Thaddaeus who is Thomas’ or simple ‘Judas who was also called Thomas.’Thomas was later introduced into the story of Abgar, although “nowhere in the earlier versions of the proselytization of Edessa is it claimed that St. Thomas himself came to the city.”The association of the two traditions concerned with Thomas from the Twelve and Thaddaeus-Addai “integrated the evangelization of Edessa within the direct apostolic tradition.”The very early Hymn of the Soul contained in the Acts, states that the prince of Maishan, on following the trade route that connected Adiabene in the east to Edessa and Nisibis in the West to India and Fars had “…quitted the East and went down…I passed through the borders of Maishan, the meeting place of the merchants of the East, and I reached the land of Babylonia.”Another tradition originating in Alexandria around the middle of the third century actually has Thomas going into the Parthian Empire rather than to Edessa. This tradition is backed by Origen (d. 251) in his Commentary on Genesis (Chapter 3), who is in fact the first to mention it, and is also found in Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History (3:1) and in the Syriac Clementine Recognitions.Thomas is also considered the apostle of India by many of the earliest ecclesiastical sources. However, the Alexandrine tradition initiated by the missionary Pontaeunus (180/190 A.D.) – who was sent by Demetrius the bishop of Alexandria on a mission to India – it was Bartholomew (the ‘Nathaniel’ of the New Testament) who was the apostle to India, and who also brought with him a Hebrew (Aramaic?) copy of the Gospel of Matthew; this information is witnessed to by both Eusebius and Jerome.Since Bartholomew is usually considered the apostle to Armenia, Arabia and Persia, it is extremely out of the ordinary. In any case, it is certain that before the end of the second Christian century a living community of faithful was to be found in the south of the Indian sub-continent which traced their apostleship – according to the vast testimonies of the tradition – to Thomas.

The Witness of Egeria the Iberian (ca. 384 A.D.)
A very important witness to the tradition of the apostolic activity and missionary work of Thomas one of the Twelve is the so-called Journal of the late fourth century Iberian nun Egeria. Egeria’s famous Journal records her pilgrimage to the Holy City and the various other pilgrimage-sites visited by the Spanish nun on her journey. She recalls that …no Christian who has achieved the journey to the holy places and Jerusalem misses going also on the pilgrimage to Edessa. It is twenty-five staging posts away from Jerusalem. But Mesopotamia is not so far from Antioch. So, since my route back to Constantinople took me back that way, it was very convenient for me at God’s bidding to go from Antioch to Mesopotamia…(17:1)

Three years after her arrival in Jerusalem she goes to Mesopotamia, to Harran the land of Abraham and to Edessa the ‘blessed city:’
But God also moved me with a desire to go to Syrian Mesopotamia [the Greek translation of the Padan Aram of Gen 28:1 which Egeria uses in reference to Edessa]. The holy monks there are said to be numerous and of so indescribably excellent a life that I wanted to pay them a visit; I also wanted to make a pilgrimage to the martyrium of the holy apostle Thomas, where his entire body is buried (17:1)

The Edessene connection with Thomas the apostle goes back to the Acts of Judas Thomas. Since the time of the writing of the Acts around 200 A.D., it was believed that notwithstanding the widely-accepted tradition that he died in India, his body was removed to Edessa, certainly before the middle of the fourth century when Ephrem penned his Nisibene Hymns (42), who mentions the presence of the apostle’s bones in Edessa. The other component of the Edessene connection, around the time of Egeria’s Journal ca. 384 A.D., was that Thomas – rather than Addai – was believed to have been sent by Christ to Edessa.Recalling the existence of the Abgar tradition, Egeria states: “It is at Edessa, to which Jesus, our God, was sending Thomas after his ascension into heaven, as he tells us in the letter he sent to King Abgar by the messenger Ananias. This letter has been most reverently preserved at Edessa where they have this martyrium” (17:1). Egeria recounts the story of her arrival in Edessa and her meeting the bishop of the city. She also recalls the many martyria or shrines built over the martyrs’ tombs and the consecrated monks who took care of these shrines, which by the year 449 A.D. numbered some 90,000 in the hills of Edessa.The church of St. Thomas was built sometime between 373 and August of 394 when the coffin of the apostle was moved to his own church:As soon as we arrived, we went straight to the church and martyrium of holy Thomas; there we had our usual prayers and everything which was our custom in holy places. And we read also from the writings of holy Thomas himself [certainly the Syriac Acts of Judas Thomas]. The church there is large and beautiful, and built in the new way – just right, in fact, to be a house of God…I saw a great many martyria [martyrs’ shrines] and visited the holy monks, some of whom lived among the martyria, whilst others had their cells further away from the city where it was more private. (19:2-4)

The bishop of Edessa takes Egeria to visit the pilgrim sites present in the city. The foremost among them being the palace of Abgar, built in 205-206 A.D., and a huge marble likeness of the famed monarch:So first of all he took me to the palace of King Abgar, and showed me a huge marble portrait of him. People said it was an excellent likeness, and it shone as if it was made of pearl. The look on Abgar’s face showed me, as I looked straight at it, what a wise and noble man he had been, and the holy bishop told me, ‘That is King Abgar. Before he saw the Lord he believed in him as the true Son of God.’ Next to this portrait was another of the same marble; he told me it was the king’s son Magnus, and he too had a wonder face (19:6).

The ‘holy bishop’ of Edessa recounts the whole story of letter of Abgar to Christ and reference is also made to the attack of Edessa by the Persians in 259 A.D., which seemed to contradict the promise of Christ that the city would never succumb to its enemies, as contained in the Greek recension of the letter of Christ to Abgar.

The holy bishop told me this about it: ‘King Abgar wrote a letter to the Lord, and the Lord sent his answer by the messenger Ananias; then, quite a time after, the Persians descended on this city and encircled it. So at once Abgar, with his whole army, took the Lord’s letter to the gate, and prayed aloud: ‘Lord Jesus,’ he said, ‘You promised us that no enemy would enter this city. Look now how the Persians are attacking us!’ With that the king held up the letter, open in his hands, and immediately a darkness fell over the Persians who were by then close outside the city walls. It made them retire three miles away, and the darkness was so confusing to the Persians that they found it difficult to pitch camp and carry out patrols even at three miles’ distance from the city (19:8-9).

The bishop is narrating the story of the attack of Edessa by the Persians under Shapor I in 259 A.D., and this late-fourth century witness most probably exhibits an earlier tradition held in the city, or one approved by the bishop himself. The pilgrim Egeria was also shown the gate of the city through which the messenger Ananias entered bringing in the letter of Christ to Abgar, as well as the tomb of Abgar’s family. The bishop also gave Egeria a copy of the Lord’s letter, which seems to have been a popular souvenir for the pilgrims to the city, containing the promise of Christ for the city which was not to be found in the Eusebian version. The Iberian nun spent three day in Edessa and then headed for the near-by city of Harran, the city of Abraham, which was also a pilgrimage site for the numerous monks of Mesopotamia which Egeria notices with interest.Further minor documents, such as the Acta Maris, or the Acts of Mar Mari are of a much later period and describe the missionary activity of Mari, the disciple of Addai, into Seleucia-Ctesiphon which became the primatial see of the Church of the East in 280 A.D., under its first documented archbishop Mar Papa who is well-known for his work of effecting the centralization of authority of the Persian episcopate in the person of the bishop – now archbishop (and later ‘catholicos’) – of the Persian royal twin-cities. The missionary activity of Mari reaches its peak in the end of the 80’s of the first Christian century, and the evangelization of the royal-cities is also linked to the mother Church at Edessa by the mere fact that it was Addai who sent his disciple Mari deep into Persian territory. According to the Acts, Mari is supposed to have founded over 300 churches or communities, and is said to have been buried at Deir Qunni, which was known as one of the foremost pilgrimage sites and ‘basilicas’ of the patriarchal see. However, even though this tradition cannot be corroborated by any documentary evidence outside of the Church’s tradition and later documents, it nonetheless demonstrates the importance of the oral tradition in order to attempt to explain the origins of what has been called the once most missionary-minded Church of all Asia.It has been the humble aim of this presentation to look at the apostolic origins of this Church which has given countless martyrs for Christ, and which was once an important – albeit isolated – component of the Church of the Church of Christ, the Church of the apostles and martyrs.

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May 12, 2006 The Commemoration Dinner Party in Honor of the ACOE's leaders in Chicago

2006-05-16T22:29:00.000-07:00

His Holiness Mar Dinkha's Speech, click below:
http://www.assyriasat.org/TapedEvents_051606_03.asx

Full commemoration dinner party in honor of the Assyrian Church of The East's leaders in Chicago, click below:

http://www.assyriasat.org/TapedEvents_051606_02.asx

Our beloved and Holy Father Mar Dinkha,

Thank you for your speech. You have spent all your life working so hard for our church. May you always be by our side, bringing us closer to the Holy Bible and our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you. AMEN.

____________________________________________________________________

HOLY APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST

Joint Diocese of Noth America
(Eastern U.S.A. Western USA, Wester California and Canada)
660 Larson Lane, Roselle, IL. 60712

CLERGY CONFERENCE DECLARATION

We the priests of the HOLY APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC ASSYRIAN CHURCH
OF THE EAST, from above dioceses, who have gathered in the Church of St. Mary, in the city of Roselle, in the State of Illinois, from 8th through May 11th, 2006, by God’s grace, do affirm our support for our Church leadership. In the spirit of servant hood toward our Lord Jesus Christ, we once again submit ourselves to the Patriarch, His Holiness, Mar Dinkha IV, and the Holy Synod, as the Blessed Apostle, St. Paul, has instructed, “ Listen to your spiritual leaders and obey them; for they are watchful guardians of your souls, as one who must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.” (Hebrew 13:17)

We are so disheartened to have to deal with a man who is contrary to the Word of God. However, in line with the dictates of Holy Scripture, such is the case of the former bishop, Ashur Soro. His illegal actions and refusals to abide by the decisions of the Holy Synod, have brought great harm and heartache to so many and continue to do so, by not returning the properties and holdings of the Church to the hierarchy with whom he had served with for many years previously. Our Lord Jesus Christ said in the Gospel of John, “ If you love me, keep my commandments.” (St. John 14:15) and further He states,” You will know them by their fruits.”(St. Matthew 7:16).

We reaffirm our obedience to His Holiness and the Holy Synod and our common declaration in the use of the Diocesan Constitution and By-Laws that were approved and signed into existence and promulgated for use in our churches of the Western world in the Winter of 1986.

In brotherly love and faithful witness unto Christ, we affix our signatures on this the 11th day of May 2006.

1. V. Rev. Nenos Michael, Archdeacon

2. V. Rev. Yonan Y. Yonan, Archdeacon
San Francisco, California London, England

3. V. Rev. Aprim DeBaz, Archdeacon

4. V.Rev. Chorbishop Gewargis Haroon

5. V. Rev. Athanasis Joseph, Chorbishop

6. Rev. David Royel
Chicago, IL. San Jose, California

7. Rev.Charles Klutz

8. Rev. Dr. Mark Brown
Chicago, IL. Avenal, California

9. Rev Dr. George K.Toma

10. Rev. Khoushaba Bouza
Prospect Heights, IL. Roselle, IL.

North America Clergy Declaration:
Names continued:

11. Rev. Benjamin Benjamin

12. Rev. Auchana Kanoun
Sterling Heights, MI Ceres, California

13. Rev. Hermis M. Ismail

14. Rev. Joseph B. Peera
London, ONT, Canada Flint, MI

15. Rev. Shlemon Heseqial

16. Rev. Younan Marwan
Chicago, IL. Hamilton, ONT, Canada

17. Rev. Kando D. kando

18. Rev. Jameel Warda
Modesto, CA Turlock, CA

19. Rev. Antwan Latchen

20. Rev. Kifrkis Talo, London,ONT,
Chicago, IL. London, ONT.,Canada

21. Rev. George Bet Rasho

22. Rev. Gabriel Brakhia
Tarzana, CA. Fullerton, CA.

23. Rev. Gewargis Shlaimon

24. Rev. Frederick Hermiz
Yonkers, N.Y Phoenix, AZ

25. Rev. Aprim Younadam

26. Rev. Gaba Sholimun
Las Vegas, NV San Diego, CA

27. Rev. Emmanuel Youkhana
Weisbaden, Germany (visiting clergy)

Mother's Day Luncheon on May 14th

2006-05-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

The great joy and spirit of motherhood was celebrated at Mar Narsai Parish in San Francisco on May 14th, 2006. Following lunch, Mar Odisho who was the guest of Honor receieved a warm welcome from a large crowd of people, who were all gathered at Mar Narsai Parish Hall. Beautiful poems, songs, and speeches were performed.

His Grace, Mar Odisho discussed the following in his speech:

1) He briefly mentioned the very successful meeting that took place in Chicago, with all the bishops and about 30 priests present. The main agenda of discussion was "How the Assyrian Church of the East can maintain its leadership in the light of varied geographic distances and diverse jurisdictions of law".

2) He also discussed that he would officially assign Qasha David as the parish priest of the Mar Yousip Parish later that afternoon in San Jose. His Grace said that he will also speak of the current affairs of the Church and the last Patriarchal Synod which took place in Chicago from May 9th to May 10th of 2006.

3) He then mentioned that a new land has been purchased in Sweden for our beloved Assyrian community there. Mar Odisho went further to mention that around 4000 people turned up to the Christmas mass in Sweden, which was an amazing turnout.

4) He also stated that it is unfortunate that our church had to endure these tough times that it is facing at the moment. Although, he said, at the hand of three individuals: two ex-priests and one ex-bishop, the flip side is that 500,000 of the beloved ACOE members all of the sudden were awaken and their love for ACOE has substantially grown. We see this at the large turn-outs for our church masses everywhere. Hence, we should look on the positive side and continue to thank Lord for blessing our ACOE for the last 2000 years.

5) Last, but not least, Mar Odisho commented on the importance of mother and how she is a special person in our life. Further stating how ACOE is our mother, it has protected us, cared for us, sacrificed for us, and loved us unconditionally. We in return need to look after it and protect it.

God bless you Mar Odisho. Thank you for your words of comfort and inspiration.

“Hymn of Praise (TESHBOKHTA)”

2006-05-07T21:27:00.000-07:00

The Theology of the Assyrian Church of the East has been stated briefly and clearly in the following “Hymn of Praise (TESHBOKHTA)” Composed by Mar Babai the Great in the sixth century A.D., a noted theologian of the Church.

One is Christ the Son of God,
Worshiped by all in two natures;
In His Godhead begotten of the Father,
Without beginning before all time;
In His humanity born of Mary,
In the fullness of time, in a body united;
Neither His Godhead is of the nature of the mother,
Nor His humanity of the nature of the Father;
The natures are preserved in their Qnumas*,
In one person of one Sonship.
And as the Godhead is three substances in one nature,
Likewise the Sonship of the Son is in two natures, one person.
So the Holy Church has taught.
* Qnuma, is an Aramaic word. The nearest equivalent is the Greek “hypostasis”, in Latin “substantia” and in English “substance”.

Assyrian Food Festival in L.A.

2006-05-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures of Assyrian Festival in Los Angeles, CA, sponsored by St. Mary's Parish, Assyrian Church of the East.

Copy and paste the following into your URL to view the photos (All photos by Assyrian Enterprise)

http://www.assyrianenterprise.com/AssyFest/Food%20Fest.html

"Blessed be Assyria the Work of My hands." — Isaiah 19:25

Wars and religious persecution have obliterated our ancestral land, Assyria, decades ago, however, the Assyrian people, tradition and language (derived from Aramaic), have survived for more than 7000 years.

For the Assyrian Food Festival, thousands of people gather up to celebrate the traditions and customs of Assyrian culture. The event is designed to give the attendees a tastes of the culture's food, art, and history, along with traditional dancing and music.

A successful event indeed.

"44 Years a Prelate"

2006-05-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

The below editorial appeared in the ‘Voice of the East’ magazine, No.53/March-April 2006/Nos. 3 & 4. Voice of the East (Qala Min Madenkha) is a socio-religious bi-monthly magazine which is issued by the Archdiocese of India. His Grace Dr. Mar Aprem is the Metropolitan of the Church of the East in India and is the Patron of the Voice of the East magazine]

Editoral
"44 Years a Prelate"
Catholicos Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV completed 44 years of service to the Assyrian Church of the East as a prelate on 11 February 2006. It was on Sunday 11 February 1962 Qasha Khnanya became the Bishop in Iran. His consecration was from Catholicos Patriarch Mar Eshai Shimun (died on 6 November 1975). In 1976 October 17 Bishop of Iran, Mar Dinkha became Catholicos Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV. Although His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV is only No.4 as a Patriarch by that name. His family had 17 bishops by the same name Bishop Mar Dinkha until the last one was shot in February 1915 in Iran, during the first World War.

Only two prelates associated with him had longer periods as prelates. His consecrator His Holiness Mar Eshai Shimun had ruled the church as Patriarch for 53 years (from the age of 12 till 65 when he resigned in August 1973. He was shot dead on November 6, 1975). The prelate who ordained him deacon and priest was Mar Yosip Khnanisho Metropolitan who served the church for 5 years as Bishop and 58 years as Metropolitan till he died on July 3, 1977 in Baghdad.
His Holiness is completing 30 years of his Patriarchate on 17 October 2006. Before that on 15 September 2006 he will be completing 71 years of age. He had completed 41 years of age when he was elected in the Holy Synod in England to become the Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East. His Holiness was consecrated in the St. Barnabas Church, Ealing near London, as the Assyrians had not owned any church at that time.

His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV maintained good ecumenical relations with the Catholic, Orthodox and the Protestants. Pope John Paul II, Patriarch of Moscow, Archbishops of Canterbury and others are among the religious dignitaries he had met during his busy schedule. He had met the President of Lebanon, President of Syria, President of Iran, President of Iraq (Saddam Hussein), secular leaders of the USA, India, Australia and many others.

His Holiness sent clergy for education in foreign Universities. So there is a middle level of educated clergy. Choirs, Youth groups were encouraged to be obedient to Christ and the church on earth. Many churches were built, schools were established in India, Australia and California. Many clergy were ordained. Bishops for Australia, California, Canada, North Iraq, Syria, Sweden etc were consecrated. Metropolitan for Iraq Mar Gewargis Sliwa was consecrated in Chicago by His Holiness.

By holding Holy Synods of prelates from all over the globe His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV restored democratic system in the Church administration. During the past 29 years he held 10 Holy Synods in England, Australia, Australia, Baghdad and Chicago. This provides opportunity for prelates to share the concerns of their respective diocese with the Supreme leaders united with a common goal for the progress of our suffering Church.

Honouring graduates in Chicago every year brought many young educated people close to The Church. Many Assyrians feel that they have to be proud of the heritage of their parents. Yes, Church needs young people to be close to God and the faith and tradition of our faith, preserved by our forefathers in adverse circumstances in 1842 (attacks of Bedr Khan Beg), 1914-18 (World War I), 1933 (Semele in North Iraq), 1939-45 (second World War), 1980-88 (Iraq-Iran war), Gulf War in January 1991. etc.

We wish more peaceful days for our Church and its supreme Head.

Mar Aprem