About Mar Sargis History of Mar Sargis Parish in Chicago
The history of the Assyrians in Chicago goes back to the days of WWI when they started to arrive in the United States in order to flee from persecution from the hands of the Ottomans in Hakkari, Turkey. From that moment on, the Assyrian population increased day by day reaching nearly 300 families by year 1953.
These families had a parish where they came together and praised to the name of our Lord under the Parish of Mar Sargis the Martyr in Lincoln Park (316 W. Menomonee St.). Due to the demographic changes and the deterioration of the neighborhood, the parishioners with the approval of the Late Patriarch Mar Eshia Shimun XXIII had decided to move the church into a different neighborhood, with the intent of purchasing a Church that was within their budget and met their needs. Majority of the Assyrians at that time worked in factories and were full of faith towards their Church and had a genuine zeal towards their nation. With God’s aid and the Churches faithful passion, a new parish was purchased, presently located at 1850 W. Cuyler. With enthusiasm and hard work, the parishioners started to remodel the newly purchased parish according to the liturgical architecture of the Church of the East for a period of 6 months. It is worth mentioning also that the previous owners of the church building were Lutherans.
On Palm Sunday, March 29, 1953 at 8:00 AM, Mar Eshia Shimun XXIII began the consecration of the new Mar Sargis Parish. The priests and deacons that participated in the consecration alongside the Patriarch were the following: Reverend Issac Rehana, Reverend Harry Sutcliffe, Deacon Yacob Sargis, Deacon Bodakh Diqasha, Deacon Pnueil Yosip and Deacon Sait Yacob.
After the completion, of the Rite of the Blessing of the Altar, Mar Eshia Shimun XXIII started the Mysteries of the Holy Qurbana, as the entrance of our Lord in Jerusalem was celebrated, with bells of Glory, the singing voices of nearly 20 choir members and 400 faithful laymen.
In the evening a banquet was held in the church basement, in honor of His Holiness, the Patriarch on the occasion of the consecration of the new Cathedral. A capacity crowd of 350 people were present. Gabriel Sargis, Chairman of the Church committee, welcomed the guests and introduced the Toastmaster, Narsay J. Serges. Guest Speakers included Berkeley E. F. Gage, British Consul General of Chicago; the Rt. Rev. Howard L. Kennedy, rector of St. James Episcopal Church, Rev. Cuthbert Pratt, rector of St. Chrysostom’s Church; Rev. Irwin St. John Tucker, rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, former president of the Patriarchal Council, editor of the Light from the East; John Astley-Cock, assistant to the Religion Editor of the Chicago Tribune and Rev. Harry Sutcliffe, assistant parish priest of Mar Sargis Church.
Additional guests of honor included the British Vice-Consul of Chicago, Mr. Lawrence P.S. L‘Estrange and Rev. Dr. Paul E. Macy, Interim Minister of the First Baptist Church of Evanston.
It’s worth mentioning that Mar Sargis Parish served as the Patriarchal headquarters of the East during 1940 through 1953, and a few months later relocated to Turlock, California. During the years of 1975-1980, Mar Sargis Parish was also made to serve as the Bishopric headquarters for His Grace Mar Aprim Khamis. In 1980, Mar Gewargis Church was purchased and consecrated to be assigned as the new Bishopric for the Chicago land area.
The Priests that have served the Parish of Mar Sargis since the day of its purchase are as follows: Reverend Talwardi, Reverend Ishaia, Reverend Isaac Rehana, Reverend Harry Sutcliffe, Reverend Manno, Reverend Shawel Nissan, Reverend Archdeacon Aprim Debaz, Reverend Guliat Atto, Reverend Chorebishop Athanasis Joseph, Reverend Semaan Daood and presently Reverend Archdeacon William Toma.
The Parish of Mar Sargis the Martyr for the last 68 years has been a center for raising glory and praise to our Lord God and the dispenser of the sacraments of the Church, teaching of Catechism and the Assyrian language.
We, the people of Mar Sargis Parish, in the Diocese of Eastern USA of the Assyrian Church of the East, are called through Baptism to celebrate the presence of Christ in Word and Sacrament. We are called and sent by Christ to proclaim the Good News of Salvation; we try to live out Gospel values in our Assyrian Church heritage and pass them on to the upcoming generations. In the spirit of faith, service, and community, we strive to bring people closer together and closer to God.
Assyrian Church of the East commemorates Mar Sargis twice a year, May & November. According to their biography, Mar Sargis and Mar Bacchus were officers in Galerius‘ army in Resafa, Syria within the Roman Empire in the 4th Century. They were held high in his favor until they were exposed as secret Christians. They were then severely punished, with Mar Bacchus dying during torture and Mar Sargis eventually beheaded. Mar Sargis and Mar Bacchus were very popular throughout Late Antiquity, and churches in their honor were built in several cities. The close friendship between the two is strongly emphasized in their hagiographies and traditions, making them one of the most famous examples of paired saints.
Archdeacon William Toma was born in Baghdad-Iraq. He commenced his religious and ecclesiastic studies in 1985 in Baghdad Seminary of the Assyrian Church of the East. He was ordained a deacon in 1989. In 1995, he got his BA degree in Business Administration from Northeastern University, Chicago. In 1999, he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology: University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein. On May 23rd, 1999, he was ordained priest in Chicago by the late Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos Patriarch. In 2012, he was ordained and became an Archdeacon of the Holy Synod by the late Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV.
In 2001, he received his Master Degree in Oriental Ecclesiastical Studies, Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome, Italy. The title of his master degree was the Anthropology of Narsai (5th century Assyrian Theologian). In 2007, he received Ph.D degree in Oriental Ecclesiastical Studies. The title of thesis was the Mystery of Church according to Timothy II (critical edition & English translation on the mystery of consecration of altar by Timothy II).