History
Ancient History
Early History of Assyrian Church of the East
What is the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East?
WHEN DID IT BEGIN?
The Church of the East began during the missionary activity which took place in the Apostolic Age. Written records have been traced to the late second century of the Christian era. The numbers of people who belonged to the Church at that time, and the broad area it covered, would indicate that there had been a long period of development and growth, possibly reaching back into the first century and the time of the Apostles. Tradition in the Church of the East dates its founding in the middle of the first century.
HOW DID IT BEGIN?
The Church of the East developed first in what was known as the Parthian Empire, and when that empire was overthrown by the Persians in the third century it continued its development under the Persian government. This was the region lying to the east of the Roman border, stretching as far as to India. The exact location of the Church’s first congregations cannot be established from the historical record, but it is thought that it began its most serious development in the region of Kh’dayab (Adiabene) in northern Mesopotamia, spreading from there in all directions throughout the empire.
The Assyrian people of upper Mesopotamia have always been an important part of the Church of the East, though historically they were only one ethnic group among many others within the Church. However, today they represent the single surviving cultural grouping. Though the Church moved far beyond its beginnings in upper Mesopotamia, the language of that region (Syriac) remained the language of the Church, and its vocabulary, with a certain amount of Greek added in, was the source of its characteristic theological formulations.
HOW IS IT ORGANISED?
The Church of the East is governed according to the Apostolic model of bishops, presbyters, and deacons. At the turn of the fourth century (c. AD 310) Papa bar Gaggai, the bishop of the capital city of the Persian Empire, Seleucia-Ctesiphon, organized the bishops of the Church in a form which resembled the model developed in the West. He centralized the administration of the Church under his own jurisdiction and assumed the title “Catholicos of the East.” From that time on, the bishop of the imperial capital held this office. The Catholicos became the presiding bishop over the entire Church, and his dignity and power were subsequently added to in the fifth century when he received the title “Patriarch”. This was done at a general synod called by the Catholicos, Isaac, at Seleucia-Ctesiphon in AD 410. At this synod Marutha, a representative from the Roman Emperor, brought to the assembled bishops the canons and creed of the Council of Nicaea, and they were officially approved and received by the Church of the East.
Historically, the Catholicos-Patriarch governed the general synod of the bishops. The general synod was made up of all “Metropolitans” (Archbishops) and bishops. The Metropolitans were in charge of provinces, which each contained four to eight bishops. This historic model no longer exists due to the greatly reduced numbers within the Church and the dislocations of its membership. A bishop is considered legitimate if he has been ordained into the Apostolic succession by at least two (preferably more) other bishops who are themselves properly ordained and in full communion with their fellow bishops. A bishop’s legitimacy endures only so long as he himself maintains such full communion.
HOW DOES IT WORSHIP?
The Church of the East has a sacramental system which resembles the sacramental systems of the Greek and Latin traditions. The Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist are primary, and the Sacrament of Holy Orders affects the other Sacraments. Confirmation is administered with Baptism, and Absolution is a benefit of the Eucharist, though Absolution is also administered separately during a common service of Absolution, and is also administered to individuals, with penance, in the case of serious sin. The Sign of the Cross, Unction, and “Holy Leaven” are defined as additional Sacraments.
The central feature of the worship life of the Church of the East is the Eucharist, known in the Syriac language of the Church as the “Qurbana Qaddisha”, or “Holy Offering”. The liturgy of the Eucharist is attributed to “the Apostles, Addai and Mari, who discipled the East”. The liturgy consists of a service for the catechumens and a service for the faithful. The Host is a leavened loaf, and the cup is an equal mixture of wine and water. The baptized faithful receive the body and blood of Christ under both species of bread and wine, and the “real presence” of Christ is understood in the elements. A priest ordained by a bishop in the apostolic succession is required for the Consecration, and a deacon is required to assist the celebrant. A community of worshipping believers must be present at the celebration.
Baptism is administered to infants of Christian families and to new converts. It is not given to those who, for whatever reasons, enter the Church from other Christian bodies and have already been baptized with a Trinitarian formula. Infant baptisms oblige parents and sponsors to rear the child in the Christian faith and to nourish him or her at the altar and within the community of faith. The baptismal liturgy resembles the Eucharistic liturgy in form. Following an anointing with oil there is a triple immersion in consecrated water in the name of the Holy Trinity, and a final “sealing”, which is Confirmation, with the imposition of hands at the door of the altar.
Matrimony and funeral services consist largely of Psalms, anthems, and blessings. They are lengthy, colorful, and emotional occasions, and reflect ancient customs and usages.
A summary view
The Church of the East began in the late Apostolic age, flourished in upper Mesopotamia, and spread quickly throughout the Parthian (later Persian) Empire. Its language is classical Syriac (Aramaic), its government is episcopal, its worship is sacramental and liturgical, its theology is according to the Nicene Creed and the teaching of the fathers of the Church, its customs are Semitic, and its present attitude toward other Christians is ecumenical. It exists in greatest numbers in Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon, but also in Europe, North America, Australia, and India.
Modern History
Since the establishment of the second Church of the East patriarchate at Qudshanis, the mountain Assyrians of Turkey and those of the plain of Urmia owed their allegiance to Mar Shimun.
The patriarchal cathedral of Mar Shalita was completed in 1689 AD, and about a dozen bishops and metropolitans were in communion with this patriarch. In the meanwhile, the Mar Elia line of Alqosh ruled the Assyrians of the Nineveh plain and its environs. By 1830, the old Mar Elia line of Alqosh became entirely Roman Catholic and the sole ‘Nestorian’ patriarchate was ruled by the Mar Shimun dynasty.
With the advent of the First World War in 1914, the Assyrian Church and Nation suffered greatly at the hands of the Muslim powers of the day. In 1918, the catholicos-patriarch Mar Benyamin Shimun XIX (1887-1918) was martyred by the Kurdish chieftain Ismail Agha (Simko), and the Assyrians were left at the mercy of the Ottoman Turks and their Kurdish neighbors. With the dismantling of the Ottoman Empire, the Assyrians were left without a homeland of their own and the promises of the Western superpowers were forgotten and left unfulfilled. In 1920, the majority of the Assyrians were moved to the Bakuba Camp near Baghdad, being moved from Urmia, Iran. They lived in horrible, sub-human conditions; tens of thousands lost their lives along the way to Bakuba from 1918 to 1920.
Successively, the Assyrian people were able to recover themselves after the creation of the independent state of Iraq, however, without any claim to the land and home of their ancient ancestors. Later, in 1933 another wave of atrocities were perpetrated against the Assyrians of Iraq, this time on the part of the Iraqi monarchy. A group of Assyrians were forced to take refuge in the then-French colony of Syria. A confrontation with Iraqi forces caused the death of some few thousands of Assyrians. Those that crossed over were settled along the Khabour River. Today there are some 33 Assyrian villages along both banks of the Khabour River.
The Assyrians in the United States at this time were quite sparse, and number a few thousands in the whole country. The late Mar Eshai Shimun XXIII (1908-1975), patriarch of the Assyrian Church, was exiled along with the patriarchal household after the 1933 massacre and settled for a time on the Island of Cyprus by the British.
The patriarch then moved to the US, settling first in Chicago, in 1940. From then on, the seat of the catholicos-patriarch of the Assyrian Church would remain in the diaspora.
The early 1970’s and 1990’s—after the first Gulf War—saw a great wave of migration of Assyrians from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. These migrations included the establishment of a large Assyrian diaspora predominantly in the United States and in the various countries of Europe as well. Outside the homeland, churches and cultural associations were established during this period. Various parishes were organized into dioceses and episcopal sees were established in the West for the first time. These communities continue to grow in number and affluence.
In 1975, the patriarchal see became vacant with the death of Patriarch Mar Eshai Shimun XXIII. The Assyrian bishops gathered in London, England in 1976 and elected to the patriarchal throne Mar Dinkha, the then bishop of Iran; the new patriarch took the name of Mar Dinkha IV. The newly elected patriarch made immediate contact with the Assyrians living in the countries of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Lebanon soon after his election. The patriarchal see was moved to Chicago in 1980, where it remains today.
The Assyrian Church and Nation is a thriving community found in all the major cities of North America, numbering some 300,000. Assyrians have also settled in Europe and other parts of Asia. Thus, the great majority of the Assyrians are to be found in the diaspora rather than in their ancestral homeland of Mesopotamia—modern-day Iraq. Centuries of persecution and forced migration have decimated the once-numerous populace, however the community continues to preserve its ancient history and heritage.
Today, the descendants of the ancient Assyrians who populated the ‘Cradle of Civilization’ are found all over the globe. In the U.S., they have proved to be integral part of the patchwork of nationalities and ethnic groups of which this great nation is comprised. The struggle for their nationalistic, cultural and religious rights in their homeland continues. Notwithstanding, the Assyrians are hopeful for a brighter and a more fair future; the ‘flickering light’ shall indeed not be extinguished!
HIS HOLINESS MAR GEWARGIS III CATHOLICOS PATRIARCH OF THE ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST.
His Holiness was born Warda Daniel Sliwa, in Habbaniyah, Iraq 1941, from his parents the late Daniel Sliwa and Mariam Sliwa. He graduated from the School of Education at Baghdad in 1964. Then, he taught English in various cities in Iraq for 13 years. While visiting the US was called by the late His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV to serve the Church in the ordained ministry. After training in the rites and theology of the Church, he was ordained to the diaconate on April 13, 1980 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 8, 1980. After serving as a priest worthily and continuing his training in the Church, Rev. Polos was nominated by the late patriarch and the prelates to assume the exalted rank of metropolitan for Baghdad and all Iraq. Thus, filling the vacant metropolitan see of Elam, The Beatitude succeeded the late Metropolitan Mar Yosip Khnanisho, of blessed memory. On the Feast of Pentecost, June 7, 1981, Rev. Polos was consecrated by the late His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV Catholicos Patriarch with the assistance of His Grace Mar Aprim Khamis in the cathedral church of St. George, Chicago. The new metropolitan was given the name Mar Gewargis Sliwa. After the falling asleep in the Lord of the late Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV on March 26, 2015, the Council of Prelates met in a synod in the church of St. John the Baptist in Ankawa, Erbil (Kurdistan Regional Government) Iraq between September 16 and 18, 2015. On Friday, September 18, the prelates elected His Beatitude Mar Gewargis Sliwa as the 121 Patriarch and was given the name of Mar Gewargis III Sliwa Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East.
Patriarch Mar Awa III (Royel)
Patriarch Mar Awa III (Royel) was born in Chicago on July 4, 1975, to his parents the late Korosh Ezaria Royel and the late Florence Awikam Shmoel Khan. He was baptized at the Mar Sargis church in Chicago, on November 23, 1975 by the late Reverend Qashisha Aprim d’Qashisha Elias De Baz.
Mar Awa was tutored in the Aramaic language by various priests of the Church in Chicago. Since June of 1990, the Reverend Qashisha Shleemon Heseqial tutored him in the Aramaic tongue and in the liturgies of the Church for nine years, preparing him for the diaconate and priesthood. Thus, he was ordained a deacon on January 19, 1992 at St. George cathedral in Chicago by the late His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, of blessed memory.
Mar Awa completed his undergraduate studies from 1989-1993, and received his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in 1997 from Loyola University of Chicago, with a major in Theology and a minor in Philosophy. In 1999, he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the University of St. Mary of the Lake, in Mundelein, Illinois. He was then ordained a priest on May 23, 1999 (Feast of the Pentecost) by the late His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch, at the patriarchal cathedral of St. George in Chicago.
Mar Awa was then sent for graduate studies in Theology to Rome in June of 1999, and in 2001 he graduated with a Licentiate of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome. In 2005, he was appointed assistant pastor at St. Mary’s parish in Los Angeles, California. In 2006, he was appointed as the priest of the Mar Yosip parish in San Jose, California. In 2007, he received his Doctorate of Sacred Theology in Eastern Liturgy, from the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome.
Mar Awa was promoted to the rank of Cor-bishop on July 15, 2007 by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV at St. George cathedral in Chicago. He was elected to the sacred episcopacy by the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East which was convened in Dohuk, Iraq, in October of 2008. Mar Awa was promoted as Archdeacon on November 23, 2008 by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV at Mar Yosip Khnanisho church, in San Jose, California. Mar Awa was consecrated to the episcopacy at Mar Zaia Cathedral in Modesto, California, on November 30, 2008, by the late His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch, assisted by Their Graces Bishops Mar Yosip Sargis, Mar Aprim Khamis and Mar Odisho Oraham.
An extraordinary meeting of the Holy Synod was convened on September 6, 2021 due to the demission of the Patriarch-Emeritus His Holiness Mar Gewargis III Sliwa. Consequently, on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, the Holy Synod elected His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of the Diocese of California, as the 122nd Catholicos-Patriarch to the apostolic see of Seleucia-Ctesiphon. His consecration took place at St. John the Baptist patriarchal cathedral in Ankawa, Erbil (KRG), Iraq, on Monday, September 13, 2021, which is also the Feast of the Holy Cross.
Mar Awa served as Secretary of the Holy Synod since December of 2008. He represented the Assyrian Church of the East as a member of the Forum Syriacum (Pro Oriente Foundation, Vienna) since 2010. In 2009, he was awarded a lifetime membership in Cambridge Who’s Who. The Patriarch-Elect was a member of the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue Between Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East since 2009. He was also co-chair of the Bilateral Dialogue Between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East since 2016. Mar Awa also served as Secretary of the Holy Synod and the President of the Assyrian Church’s Commission on Inter-Church Relations and Education Development (CIRED), since 2008.