Assyrian Church of the East Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==History== [[File:Church of Saint John the Arab.jpg|thumb|225px|left|A 6th-century Nestorian church, St. John the Arab, in the [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] village of [[Andaç, Uludere|Geramon]]]] The Assyrian Church of the East considers itself as the continuation of the [[Church of the East]], a church that originally developed among the [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]] during the first century AD in [[Assyria]], [[Upper Mesopotamia]] and northwestern [[Iran|Persia]], east of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. It is an [[Apostolic see|apostolic]] church established by [[Thomas the Apostle]], [[Addai of Edessa]], and [[Bartholomew the Apostle]]. Contrary to a widespread opinion, the Apostle [[Saint Peter]] never visited the Church of [[Babylon]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://catholicsentinel.org/Content/Social/Social/Article/Did-the-apostle-Peter-ever-visit-Babylon-/-2/-2/25044 | title=Did the apostle Peter ever visit Babylon? }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The historical distinctiveness of the Assyrian Church of the East resulted from the series of complex processes and events that occurred within the Church of the East during the transitional period that started in the middle of the 16th century, and lasted until the beginning of the 19th century.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000}} That turbulent period was marked by several consequent splits and mergers, resulting in the creation of separate branches and rival patriarchal lines. During the entire period, one of the main questions of dispute was the union with the [[Catholic Church]]. Ultimately, the pro-Catholic branches were consolidated as the [[Chaldean Catholic Church]], while the traditional branches were consolidated as the Assyrian Church of the East.{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003}} ===Schisms and branches=== {{main|Church of the East|Schism of 1552}} [[File:Mar Toma church urmia.jpg|thumb|[[St. Thomas Church, Balowlan|Mar Toma church]] near [[Urmia]], [[Iran]]]] During the patriarchal tenure of [[Shemon VII Ishoyahb]] (1539–1558), who resided in the ancient [[Rabban Hormizd Monastery]] near [[Alqosh]], an internal dissent occurred over several issues, including the question of hereditary succession to the patriarchal throne, and the question of union with the Catholic Church. By that time, [[Franciscans|Franciscan]] missionaries had already gained some influence over several local communities,{{sfn|Lemmens|1926|p=17-28}} and they took an active role in organizing the opposition to the Patriarch at that time. By the end of 1552, a pro-Catholic party had been organized in [[Mosul]] under the leadership of the priest [[Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa|Yohannan Sulaqa]],{{sfn|Habbi|1966|p=99-132}} who decided to legitimize his position by traveling to [[Rome]] and seeking confirmation by [[Pope Julius III]] (1550–1555).{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=22}} Receiving support from the Franciscan missionaries, he arrived in Rome and entered into full communion with the Catholic Church in February 1553. At that point, officials of the [[Roman Curia]] were given incorrect information that the elderly Patriarch Shemon VII had actually died. After some deliberation, the Pope decided to appoint Yohannan Sulaqa as "Patriarch of Babylon" in April 1553.{{sfn|Gulik|1904|p=261-277}} Upon consecration, Yohannan Sulaqa took the name ''Shimun'' and by the end of the year he returned to his homeland. He started to organize the pro-Catholic party by appointing several metropolitans and bishops.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=22}} ===The senior Eliya line of Alqosh=== {{further|Numeration of the Eliya line patriarchs}} Union with Rome was actively opposed by Patriarch [[Shemon VII Ishoyahb]], who continued to reside in the Rabban Hormizd Monastery near Alqosh. He was succeeded by his nephew [[Eliya VI|Eliya]] (1558–1591), who was designated as Eliya "VII" in older historiography,{{sfn|Tisserant|1931|p=261-263}}{{sfn|Fiey|1993|p=37}} but renumbered as Eliya "VI" in recent scholarly works.{{sfn|Murre van den Berg|1999a|p=243-244}}{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=116, 174}}{{sfn|Hage|2007|p=473}} The same renumbering was applied to his successors, who all took the same name thus creating the ''Eliya line''. During his patriarchal rule, the ''Eliya line'' preserved its traditional christology and full ecclesiastical independence.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=22, 42 194, 260, 355}} His successor was Patriarch [[Eliya VII]] (VIII) (1591–1617), who negotiated on several occasions with the Catholic Church, in 1605 and 1610, and again in 1615–1616, but without any conclusion.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=24}} Further negotiations were abandoned by the next Patriarch [[Eliya VIII]] (IX) (1617–1660).{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=24-25}} David Wilmshurst noted that his successor, Patriarch [[Eliya IX]] (X) (1660–1700) also was a "vigorous defender of the traditional faith".{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=25}} The Eliya line of traditionalist Patriarchs continued throughout the entire 18th century, residing in the ancient Monastery of Rabban Hormizd, which was eventually attacked and looted in 1743, at the beginning of the [[Ottoman–Persian War (1743–1746)]].{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=205, 263}} Faced with a centuries-old rivalry and frequent [[Ottoman–Persian Wars|conflicts]] between two mighty [[Islam]]ic empires ([[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] and [[History of Iran|Persian]]), all Christian communities in the bordering regions were constantly exposed to danger – and not only in the times of war, since local, mainly [[Kurds|Kurdish]], warlords were accustomed to attacking Christian communities and monasteries. Patriarchs [[Eliya X]] (XI) (1700–1722) and [[Eliya XI]] (XII) (1722–1778) tried to improve the increasingly worsening position of their Christian flock by staying loyal to Ottoman authorities, but the local administration was frequently unable to provide effective protection.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=28, 195, 242, 250–251, 355}} The Eliya line of traditionalist Patriarchs ended in 1804 with the death of [[Eliya XII]] (XIII) (1778–1804).{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=263}}{{sfn|Hage|2007|p=473}} ===The junior Shimun line of Qochanis=== During the second half of the 16th century, traditionalist patriarchs of the Eliya line were faced with the continuous presence of the pro-Catholic movement, led by successors of [[Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa]]. After his death in 1555, the newly established line of patriarchs who were united with the Catholic Church was continued by [[Abdisho IV Maron]] (1555–1570), who remained in [[full communion]] with the Catholic Church. He visited Rome and was officially confirmed by the [[Pope|Pope of Rome]] in 1562.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=22-23}} Soon after his death, connections with Rome were weakened for the first time during the tenure of Patriarch [[Yahballaha IV]] who did not seek confirmation from the Pope.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=23}} That interlude was ended by his successor [[Shimun IX Dinkha]] (1580–1600) who restored full communion with the Catholic Church, and was officially confirmed by the Pope in 1584.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=23-24}} After his death, the patriarchal office was made hereditary, and Patriarchs of this line continued to use the name ''Shimun'', thus creating the Shimun line. Hereditary succession was not acceptable to Rome, and during the tenure of the next Patriarch [[Shimun X Eliyah]] (1600–1638) ties with the Catholic Church were loosened again. In 1616, Shimun X signed a traditional profession of faith that was not accepted by the Pope, leaving the Patriarch without Rome's confirmation.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=24, 315}} His successor [[Shimun XI Eshuyow]] (1638–1656) restored communion with the Catholic Church as late as 1653, eventually receiving confirmation from the Pope.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=25}} By that time, the movement towards full commitment to the traditional faith was constantly growing stronger within the Shimun line. When the next Patriarch [[Shimun XII Yoalaha]] decided to send his profession of faith to the Pope, he was deposed by his bishops because of his pro-Catholic attitude. The Pope tried to intervene on his behalf, but without success.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=25}} Final resolution of conflicts within the Shimun line occurred under the next Patriarch [[Shimun XIII Dinkha]] (1662–1700), who definitively broke communion with the Catholic Church. In 1670, he gave a traditionalist reply to an approach that was made from the Pope, and by 1672 all connections with the Catholic Church were terminated.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=25, 316}}{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=114, 118, 174–175}} At the same time, Patriarch Shimun XIII moved his seat from [[Diyarbakır|Amid]] to [[Qudshanis|Qochanis]]. After the final return to the traditional faith, Patriarchs of the Shimun line decided to keep their independence and after that time there were two independent lines of traditional patriarchs: the senior Eliya line in Alqosh and the junior Shimun line in Qochanis.{{sfn|Murre van den Berg|1999a|p=235-264}} Such division was additionally caused by the complex structure of local [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] communities, traditionally organized as tribal confederations with each [[List of Assyrian tribes|tribe]] being headed by a local lord (''[[malik]]''), while each ''malik'' was ultimately subject to the patriarch, who mediated between Christian Assyrians and the Ottoman authorities.{{sfn|Wigram|1914}} ===Consolidation of remaining branches=== [[File:Assyrianmareliasnestorianbishop.jpg|thumb|upright=.5|Mar Elias (Eliya), the Nestorian bishop of the Urmia Plain village of Geogtapa, {{Circa|1831}}. The image comes from ''A Residence of Eight Years in Persia Among the Nestorians, with Notes of the Mohammedans'' by Justin Perkins (Andover, 1843).]] In 1780, at the beginning of the patriarchal tenure of [[Eliya XII]] (XIII) (1778–1804), a group seceded from the Eliya line in Alqosh and elected [[Yohannan VIII Hormizd|Yohannan Hormizd]], who entered full communion with the Catholic Church and was officially appointed [[Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul|Archbishop of Mosul]] and patriarchal administrator of the [[Chaldean Catholic Church]], in 1783. Only after the death in 1827 of the last representative of the Josephite line, [[Joseph V Augustine Hindi]], was Yohannan recognized as the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch by the Pope, in 1830. By this official appointment, the final merger of various factions committed to the union with the Catholic Church was achieved, thus forming the modern Chaldean Catholic Church. At the same time, the long coexistence and rivalry between two traditionalist patriarchal branches — the senior Eliya line of Alqosh and the junior Shimun line of Qochanis — ended in 1804 when the last primate of the Eliya line, Patriarch [[Eliya XII]] (XIII) died and was buried in the ancient [[Rabban Hormizd Monastery]]. His branch decided not to elect a new patriarch, thus enabling the remaining patriarch [[Shimun XVI Yohannan]] (1780–1820) of the Shimun line to become the sole primate of both Assyrian traditionalist branches.{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=120, 175}}{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=316-319, 356}}{{sfn|Murre van den Berg|1999a|p=235-264}} Consolidated after 1804, the reunited traditionalist Church led by patriarchs of the Shimun line became widely known as the "Assyrian Church of the East". Still based in Qodchanis, Assyrian Patriarch Shimun XVI Yohannan was not able to secure control over the traditional seat of the former Eliya line in the ancient Rabban Hormizd Monastery; and around 1808 that venerated monastic institution passed to the [[Chaldean Catholics]].{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=125, 263–264}} The next Assyrian Patriarch [[Shimun XVII Abraham]] (1820–1861) also governed his church from [[Konak, Hakkari|Qodshanis]]. During years marked by political turbulence, he tried to maintain good relations with the local Ottoman authorities. In 1843, he was faced with renewed hostilities from [[Kurds|Kurdish]] warlords, who [[1843 and 1846 massacres in Hakkari|attacked]] and looted many Christian villages, killing 10,000 Christian men and taking away women and children as captives. The patriarch himself was forced to take temporary refuge in [[Mosul]].{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=33, 212}} He was succeeded by Patriarch [[Shimun XVIII Rubil]] (1861–1903) who also resided in Qodshanis. In 1869, he received an open invitation from the [[Holy See|Vatican]] to visit [[Rome]] to attend the [[First Vatican Council]] as an observer, but he did not accept the invitation,{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=129-130}} In following years, he also rejected other initiatives for union with the Catholic Church.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=35-36}}[[File:Nestorian archbishop and servants.jpg|thumb|Early 20th century Assyrian archbishop and servants]] By the end of the 19th century, the Assyrian Church of the East consolidated itself as the sole representative of all traditionalist Assyrians. It also managed to secure a certain level of autonomy within the highly complex system of Ottoman local governance in the bordering regions.{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=275-276}} On several occasions, Assyrian patriarchs refused to enter communion with the Catholic Church or merge with the Chaldean Catholic Church.{{sfn|Murre van den Berg|1999a|p=235-264}} On the other hand, by the end of the 19th century some of its communities were converted to [[Protestantism]] by various western missionaries,{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=324}} while other communities were drawn to [[Eastern Orthodoxy]]. That movement was led by Assyrian Bishop Mar Yonan of [[Supurghan]] in the region of [[Urmia]] who converted to Eastern Orthodoxy in 1898, through the [[Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Urmia]].{{sfn|Wilmshurst|2000|p=36, 281, 314}} ===20th century=== [[File:Церковь Мат Марьям на Дубровке.jpg|alt=|thumb|St. Mary Assyrian Church in [[Moscow]]. In spite of both ethnic and religious [[persecution]] and a serious decline in membership since their height around the fourth century, the Assyrian Church of the East has survived into the 21st century.]] Among all the tragedies and schisms which thinned the church out, no other was as severe as the [[Sayfo|Assyrian genocide]]. At that point the Assyrian Church of the East was based in the mountains of [[Hakkari (historical region)|Hakkari]], as it had been since 1681. In 1915, The [[Young Turks]] invaded the region — despite the Assyrians' plea of neutrality during the [[Caucasus campaign]] by [[Russia]] and their [[Armenians|Armenian]] allies — out of fear of an [[Assyrian independence movement]]. In response to this, Assyrians of all denominations (the Assyrian Church of the East, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] and Assyrian Protestants) entered into a war of independence and allied themselves with the [[United Kingdom]], the [[Russian Empire]] and the [[Armenians]] against the Ottomans and their Islamic Kurdish, [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] and [[Arabs|Arab]] allies.{{sfn|Yakoub|2020|p=}} Despite the odds, the Assyrians fought successfully against the Ottomans and their allies for three years throughout southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northwestern Iran and northeastern Syria. Eventually, however, they were abandoned by their allies, the Russian Empire and the [[First Republic of Armenia]], due to the [[Russian Revolution]] and the collapse of the Armenian defense, leaving the Assyrians vastly outnumbered, surrounded, and cut off from supplies of ammunition and food. During this period, their See at Qodchanis was completely destroyed and the Turks and their Islamic allies massacred all of the Assyrians in the Hakkari Mountains.{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|2005|p=354}} Those who survived fled into Iran with what remained of the Assyrian defense under [[Agha Petros]], but they were pursued into Iranian territory despite the fact they were fleeing. Later, in 1918, after the murder of their ''de facto'' leader and Patriarch [[Shimun XIX Benyamin]] and 150 of his followers during a negotiation, fearing further massacres at the hands of the Turks and Kurds, most of the survivors fled by train from Iran into what was to become Iraq. They sought protection under the [[Mandate for Mesopotamia|British mandate]] there, and joined the already existing indigenous Assyrian communities of both Eastern Orthodox and Catholic rites in the north, where they formed communities in [[Baghdad]], [[Basra]], and other areas.{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|2005|p=354}} ====Patriarch Shimun XXI Eshai==== {{Main|Shimun XXI Eshai}} In the aftermath of World War I, the British-educated Patriarch [[Shimun XXI Eshai]], born into the line of patriarchs at Qodchanis, had agitated for an independent Assyrian state. Following the end of the British mandate in 1933{{sfn|Cross|Livingstone|2005|p=354}} and a [[Simele massacre|massacre]] of Assyrian civilians at [[Simele]] by the Iraqi Army, the patriarch was forced to take refuge in [[Cyprus]].{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=144}} There, Shimun petitioned the [[League of Nations]] regarding his people's fate, but to little avail, and he was consequently barred from entering Syria and Iraq. He traveled through [[Europe]] before moving to [[Chicago]] in 1940 to join the growing [[Assyrian–Chaldean–Syriac diaspora|Assyrian diaspora]] community there.{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=144}} Due to the church's and the general Assyrian community's disorganized state as a result of the conflicts of the 20th century, Patriarch Shimun XXI Eshai was forced to reorganize the church's structure in the [[United States]]. He transferred his residence to [[San Francisco]] in 1954, and was able to travel to [[Iran]], [[Lebanon]], [[Kuwait]], and [[India]], where he worked to strengthen the church.{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=147-148}} In 1964, the patriarch decreed a number of changes to the church, including liturgical reform, the adoption of the [[Gregorian calendar]], and the shortening of [[Lent]]. These changes, combined with Shimun's long absence from Iraq, caused a rift in the community there, which led to another schism. In 1968, traditionalists within the church elected [[Thoma Darmo]] as a rival patriarch to Shimun XXI Eshai, forming the independent [[Ancient Church of the East]], based in [[Baghdad]], [[Iraq]].{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=148-149}} In 1972, Shimun decided to step down as patriarch, and the following year he got married, in contravention to longstanding church custom. This led to a synod in 1973 in which further reforms were introduced, the most significant of which included the permanent abolition of hereditary succession — a practice introduced in the middle of the fifteenth century by Patriarch [[Shemon IV|Shemon IV Basidi]] (who had died in 1497) — and it was also decided that Shimun should be reinstated. The second matter was supposed to be settled at another synod in 1975; however, Shimun was assassinated in November 1975 by an estranged relative before this could take place.{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=149}} ====Patriarch Dinkha IV==== {{Main|Dinkha IV}} [[File:Mar Gewargis Cathedral Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church Of The East Chicago 2020-0235.jpg|thumb|200px|Mar Gewargis Assyrian Cathedral in [[Chicago]]: Former Patriarchal See]] Almost a year after the death of Shimun, [[Dinkha IV|Mar Khnanya Dinkha]], Metropolitan of [[Tehran]], convened a synod of seven Assyrian bishops which took place at [[Alton Abbey|St Paul's Abbey, Alton]], in England, from 12 to 17 October 1976. They were joined by two [[Church of England]] bishops, representing the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] and the [[Bishop of London]], and elected Dinkha as the 120th Catholicos-Patriarch of the Church of the East. On 17 October he was consecrated as [[Dinkha IV]] at St Barnabas Church, Ealing, in an area where many Assyrians lived.{{sfn|Joseph|2000|p=252}} Dinkha, who was then aged 33, operated his see at Tehran until the [[Iran–Iraq War]] of 1980–1988, when he went into exile in the United States and transferred the Patriarchal See to Chicago.{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=150-155}} Much of his patriarchate had been concerned with tending to the Assyrian diaspora community and with ecumenical efforts to strengthen relations with other churches.{{sfn|Baum|Winkler|2003|p=150-155}} On 26 March 2015, Dinkha IV died in the United States, leaving the Assyrian Church of the East in a period of ''sede vacante'' until 18 September 2015. During that time, [[Aprem Mooken]] served as the custodian of the [[Patriarchal Province of Seleucia-Ctesiphon|Patriarchate of Seleucia-Ctesiphon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.assyrianchurch.org/2015/03/26/holy-synod-announcement-passing-of-catholicos-patriarch/9534 |title=Holy Synod Announcement – Passing of Catholicos-Patriarch |publisher=Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East |access-date=2015-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151008040634/http://news.assyrianchurch.org/2015/03/26/holy-synod-announcement-passing-of-catholicos-patriarch/9534 |archive-date=2015-10-08 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.assyrianchurch.org/2015/03/28/notice-from-the-locum-tenens/9643 |title=Notice from the Locum Tenens |publisher=Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East |access-date=2015-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524201922/http://news.assyrianchurch.org/2015/03/28/notice-from-the-locum-tenens/9643 |archive-date=2015-05-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ====Patriarch Gewargis III==== {{Main|Gewargis III}} On 18 September 2015, the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East elected the Metropolitan of Iraq, Jordan, and Russia, Warda Sliwa, to succeed the late [[Dinkha IV]] as [[List of patriarchs of the East|Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East]]. On 27 September 2015, he was consecrated as Catholicos-Patriarch in the Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist, in [[Erbil]], Iraq. Upon his consecration, he assumed the ecclesiastical name [[Gewargis III]]. [[File:Assyrian Mar Narsai Church.jpg|thumb|200px|Mar Narsai Church in [[Duhok|Nohadra]]]] Church leaders proposed moving the Patriarchal See from Chicago back to Erbil.<ref>{{cite news |last= Nagl|first=Kurt |date= September 26, 2015|title= Assyrian Church of the East elects new leader|url= http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/260920151|publisher= [[Rudaw Media Network]] }}</ref> There have also been talks of reunification. In the [[Common Christological Declaration Between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East]] in 1994, the two churches recognized the legitimacy and rightness of each other's titles for [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Mary]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_11111994_assyrian-church_en.html |date=November 11, 1994 |access-date=January 25, 2010 |publisher=[[The Holy See]] |title=Common Christological declaration between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104205725/https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_11111994_assyrian-church_en.html |archive-date=January 4, 2009 }}</ref> In 2005, the Assyrian Church of the East had about 380,000 members,<ref name="Rassam 2005 166">{{cite book|title=Christianity in Iraq: Its Origins and Development to the Present Day|first=Suha |last=Rassam |year= 2005| isbn=9780852446331| page =166|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|quote=The number of the faithful at the beginning of the twenty - first century belonging to the Assyrian Church of the East under Mar Dinkha was estimated to be around 385,000 , and the number belonging to the Ancient Church of the East under Mar Addia to be 50,000-70,000.}}</ref> mostly living in the United States, [[Iran]], [[Iraq]], [[Syria]], and Turkey.<ref name=Britannica>[https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/409819/Nestorians "Nestorian"]. ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved April 19, 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Islam| first=Juan |last=Eduardo Campo|year= 2009| isbn=9781438126968| page =142|publisher=Infobase Publishing|quote= the Assyrian Church of the East (found mainly in northern Iraq, southern Turkey, Iran, southwest India, and now the United States).}}</ref> ====Patriarch Awa III==== {{Main|Awa Royel}} On 6 September 2021, Mar Gewargis III formally stepped down as Catholicos-Patriarch during an Extraordinary Session of the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East, leaving the Patriarchal See vacant. On 8 September 2021, the Holy Synod elected [[Awa III|Mar Awa Royel]], Bishop of California and Secretary of the Holy Synod, to succeed Mar Gewargis III as the 122nd [[List of patriarchs of the East|Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East]].<ref>{{cite web |title=His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia Remarks on the Election of the New Patriarch |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj9l0b2a5MY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/Gj9l0b2a5MY| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|website=Youtube |publisher=Assyrian Church of the East |access-date=9 September 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Sirwan |first1=Dilan |title=The Assyrian Church of the East elects new patriarch in Erbil |url=https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/080920216 |access-date=9 September 2021 |publisher=Rudaw Media Network |date=9 September 2021}}</ref> He was Consecrated and Enthroned as Catholicos-Patriarch on 13 September 2021, on the Feast of the Holy Cross, in the Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist in Erbil, Iraq, and assumed the ecclesiastical name Mar Awa III. Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page