Diocese and Bishop
His Grace Mar Paulus Benjamin
His Grace Mar Paulus (Korosh) Benjamin was born to his mother Najiba (Rosa) Jacob and to his father Yoarash Benyamin on June 24, 1968 in the village of Qala, Urmia (Iran).
He was tutored in the services of our Church by the late Archdeacon Reverend Aprem Mar-Yonani, and was ordained a deacon by the late Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch (1935-2015) on June 24, 1984 at St. George Cathedral in Tehran, Iran, where he continued his diaconate formation course with the Cor-Bishop Dumara Benyamin.
He then received his B.A. in Sociology and Social Communications from the Azad University of Tehran in 1993. He served the military from 1993 to 1995. In 1996 he was sent for higher theological studies to Rome by the late Mar Dinkha IV. After studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University, he received the S.T.B. (Bachelor of Sacred Theology) in Philosophy in 1998 and the S.T.B. (Bachelor of Sacred Theology) in Theology in 2001.
He was ordained as a priest on September 13, 2001 at Saint George Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois by the late Mar Dinkha IV. He is presently a candidate for the S.T.L. (Licentiate of Sacred Theology) in Canon Law and has already finished his doctorate courses as required by the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome. In the summer of 1999, he spent 3 months with Archdeacon Yonan Youel studying classic Aramaic, and did a course in French language at Bisancon, France in the summer of 2002. Bishop Mar Paulus came to the United States in July of 2007 and in 2008 was appointed assistant vicar of Saint George Cathedral, Chicago. In 2009, he was appointed the vicar of said parish.
On March 20, 2011 he was raised to the rank of Cor-Bishop by His Grace Mar Awa Royel Bishop of California at the directive of the late Mar Dinkha IV. On Ascension Day May 17th, 2012 was ordained as Archdeacon by the late Patriarch, then on Pentecost Feast day, May 27th, 2012 he was elevated to the rank of Bishop at Saint George Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois. Mar Paulus was consecrated by the Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV assisted by all Prelates (Metropolitans and Bishops).
Bishop Mar Paulus was designated to preside over the diocese of the Assyrian Church of the East in the Eastern USA which consisting of five parishes in Illinois and the states of Michigan, New York and Connecticut.
Mar Paulus is a member of the Holy Synod and Chairman of the Assyrian Church of the East Relief Organization USA (ACERO).