Volume I - Issue 8

March 2007

Chairman’s Message ESU held a book Exhibition in Sweden The year 2006 form the Syriacs point of view was an exciting year. As turkey did not make the neces- On 17th February 2007, the ESU repre- speech approved the positive influence sary progress in the negotiation of activities such as holding book exhibi- talks with the EU, the EU decided to sentatives in Sweden organized a Book freeze 8 sections of the negotiation Exhibition in order to introduce the exist- tions among our people and emphasized areas. The continuity of the relations ing and new released books and publi- that it is crucially important to have, not between Turkey and the EU without cations about our people, as well as their a halt is very important for the Syriacs living in Turkey and in Europe. The Syriacs, who integrated authors. within the European democracy, wish to return to The Book Exhibition was held in the their homeland in the Southeast of Turkey (Tur Halls of the St. Peter Church of Abdin). Therefore, any step taken by Turkey towards Hallonberg. As this was the first such the EU helps the development of the democracy in Turkey and opens the road before the Syriacs who exhibition held in Europe, it attracted a wish to return to their homeland. Should the rela- tions between the EU and Turkey come to the point of a halt or be frozen like what happened during the last year, the return process of the Syriacs to their homeland would become very difficult. Thus, there has been no enhancement in the situation of the Syriacs in Turkey during the year 2006. only religious activities but also cultural and political activities among our Syriac Another vital part of is Iraq. Iraq people today, in the 21st century. became the focus point of the bomb attacks in the year 2006. Baghdad, where most of the bomb attacks took place, is the city where the majority of The head of ESU-Sweden Mr. Simon the Syriac-Assyrian-Chaldeans reside. The atroci- Oguz, in his closing speech stated that in ties in the town claimed the lives of tens of Christians the development program of ESU one of and caused half the number of their population to flee elsewhere. The immigration started in the direc- large number of people from the Syriac the aims is to hold such important cultur- tion of Syria, Jordan and the Western countries. The community and from outside our com- al exhibitions of this sort about our peo- ESU, on several occasions attempted to draw the munity who attended and showed their ple in the future, and promote the cultur- attention of the international community to the interest in the book exhibition. al development of the individual mem- Christians of Iraq (Syriac-Assyrian-Chaldean) and bers of our people. emphasized that the formation of a safe zone could stop the migration. During the last year the security 5 Professors and over 20 authors of situation of the Christians entered the agenda of the books as well as some publishers intro- international community and more ideas started to duced their books and publications. be discussed about the safe zone (autonomy). After Some of the Professors and authors who these debates, the Christian migration from the mid- dle and south of Iraq turned in the direction of north- attended the fair were: Prof. Shabo ern Iraq. Talay, Prof David Gaunt and Prof. Yosef The third part of the homeland of the Syriacs is Bigun. Prof Shabo Talay as well as other Syria. During the year 2006 there has been no neg- guests were invited to hold speeches ative developments against the Syriacs in Syria. In Syria, the Syriacs although on a limited scale have during the book fair. In their speeches the freedom of developing their culture and the Syriac Orthodox Church’s Patriarchate since 1931, when it was driven out of Turkey, still resides in Syria. Thus, stated that this will not be the last The changes in situation of the Middle East during 2007 will have significant effects on the future of the activity of this sort to be held by ESU, but Syriacs. It has become clear that the new strategy of many more such activities are to be the president of the USA George W. Bush will lead expected to be held by ESU in the in the Middle East in 2007. future. The Syriacs managed to survive in the Middle East throughout many dark centuries in their history. Just Following the Exhibition, a cultural surviving is no longer enough of a promising future reception/party was held in the Evening for the Syriacs who are one of the most ancient peo- the guests generally emphasized the hours. Thus, the activity was ended by a ple of the Middle East. The Syriacs also like any other people have a right to continue their lives with importance of organizing such exhibi- cultural festivity that was attended by their culture, freely, without being threatened. tions and the importance of promoting more than 300 guests and that lasted Therefore, no matter how long it seems in the future, the authors with their publications. until the morning hours. the democracy of the Middle East means a vital hope for the Syriacs. The Archbishop of Scandinavia Mor www.esu-sweden.com Iskender Alptekin, ESU Chairman Julios Abdlahad Gello Shabo also in his The Voice of the Syriacs Volume 1 - Issue 8 page 2

The new trend in the Syriac Orthodox Church: rising

The roots of the Syriac Orthodox Church Nsibin), they developed the existing sci- Patriarchate of the Syriac Church was lay in the ancient Church of Antioch, ence and by translating the Greek philos- removed from its roots. which is one of the oldest Christian ophy (Especially the works of Aristotle) Churches in the Middle East. When this they presented it to the Middle Eastern However, when Syria became a mandate church was founded by the apostle St. Culture. Then, they translated the Greek of France, the Syriac Church benefited Simon Peter in the year 37 A.D, at the Philosophy from Syriac into Arabic and from this new development. Because, in beginning the Syriacs, the Greeks and they presented it to the Arabic Culture 1933 the French authorities allowed the the Jews of the region who converted into too. Syriac Church of Antioch to re-establish the Christianity joined it. Soon after, in the its Patriarchate in the town of Humus in year 107 A.D in a letter written by St. From the beginning of the 13th Century Syria. Ignatius Nurono to the Roman Church, he onwards, the Syriac Church started to addressed the Church of Antioch as the loose its significance. Meanwhile, the Under the see of H.H Patriarch Mor Syriac Church. headquarters of the Syriac Orthodox Afrem Barsaum (1933-1957) and H.H Church Patriarchate was moved from Mor Yakup III. (1957-1980) the Church Prior to the dawn of the Christianity, the Malatya to Deyrul Zafaran Monastery in started to recover and to re-thrive. New Assyrian, Aramaic and other Semitic folk Mardin (1293). monks were trained for the Church serv- groups, living in Syria and Mesopotamia ice. Another development experienced in under the political reign of the Romans With the attacks of Timurlenk who those years was that the members of the and the Parthians who converted into advanced on the Middle East (1398- church, started to move to America and Christianity, named themselves as 1402) the Church was largely scattered. Europe. The Church also followed suit Syriacs. The Syriac’s political centre in Only in the Monastery of Mor and established new Archdioceses in the Northern Mesopotamia was Urhoy Timurlenk murdered about 500 monks. USA and in Europe. () the capital of the semi-inde- After that, the Church lost its productivity pendent kingdom of Osrohone (Abgar) in the science and the literature all In 1980 H.H Mor Ignatius Zakka Iwaz was (132 B.C – 248 A.D). together. ordained to the Holy See of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch’s The Syriacs of the Church of Antioch, fol- Also, under the Ottoman rule the Church Patriarchate. Under his see the Church lowing the divisions and the contempo- continued to experience a setback. In the re-institutionalized itself in many parts of rary politics of the ecumenical councils of 1915 Genocide the Church the world. The monastic Ephesus 431 A.D and Chalcedon 451 of Antioch sustained the system of the monks was A.D, divided into three denominational most awesome hit in its re-thrived, thus, in the last groups. One of the groups defended the entire history. Thus, its bor- 15 years many new monks monophysite approach to the Nature of ders marginalized only in were trained. Mor Ignatius Jesus Christ, the second group defended Tur Abdin, in Some villages Zakka Iwaz ordained 45 the Diophysite nature put forward y around Mosul (Nineveh) new Bishops and Nestour and the third group followed a and in some parts of India. Archbishops between the pro-Costantinopol line (Melkite). The Church, who lost most years 1980 and 2007. of its Clerics in the 1915 These Bishops estab- The separation between the three groups Genocide, came to the lished new archdioceses deepened with the time and each one of verge of being dispersed and dioceses in Turkey, them formed independent church hierar- and to be entirely wiped out Syria, Iraq, Israel, chies for themselves. The Monophysite in the history. Lebanon, , Syriac Patriarchate was forced out of Switzerland, Austria, Antioch in the year 558 A.D. However, In 1931, the headquarters of the Belgium-France, The Netherlands, Latin even to day, the pro-Single Nature Syriac Patriarchate of the Syriac Orthodox America, , the USA, and Church still names itself with the title of Church was evacuated by the newly Australia. Some of the re-thriven histori- the “Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch”. founded Turkish Republic and H.H cally important centers are Deyrul Patriarch Elias Shakir was sent into exile Zafaran Monastery (Turkey), which The Syriac Church of Antioch, during the to India. Thus, the nearly 1900 years old housed the Patriarchate for 640 years Abbasside era (750- and Malatya (Turkey). The 1258) spread from Syriac Church started to re-fill Central Asia until India. the centers, which was forced Therefore, it is possible to evacuate in the past. All to call this era the Golden these new developments show Centuries of the Syriacs that the Church who came to too. The Syriacs, until the the verge of being wiped out end of the Abbasside from the surface of the history in rule, were the centre of 1915, since 1980, especially the science of the Middle under the Holy See of H.H Mor East. Since the dawn of Zakka Iwaz, gained a significant the Christianity, in the acceleration in being re-flour- several academias that ished. they founded (Urhoy, Antioch, Qenneshrin, The Voice of the Syriacs Volume 1 - Issue 8 page 3

The National Council of Mesopotamia (MUB)

On 28th-29th December 2005, the repre- and Suroyo TV representatives from unanimously agreed that in the future the sentatives of the Syriacs, including the Sweden jointly founded a United Council. Syriacs living in these countries should European Syriac Union ESU, held an This formation is called the National have closer relationship with each other. important meeting in Sweden. In this Council of Mesopotamia (MUB). The MUB also during the last year carried meeting the ESU represented the Syriacs the working system and the political living in Europe, the Syriac Union of The National Council of Mesopotamia is stance of the ESU to the Syriac institu- Lebanon represented the Syriacs of made of the representatives from all the tions of the Middle East. In the annual Lebanon, the Syriac-Assyrian-Chaldean Institutions representing the Syriacs of meeting of the MUB, the ESU and the Organization HBA from Iraq, as well as each of these individual countries. The other institutions agreed to become clos- representatives from Iran, Syria, Turkey MUB aims to improve the co-operation er to each other and undertake joint proj- representing the Syriacs of their countries among all these institutions that are rep- ect together. Accordingly, on this basis it resenting the Syriac people and to pro- is aimed that the Syriac representation mote a united political stance among around the world them. would be strengthened. In the first anniversary of its foundation, the member institutions of the MUB held their first annual meeting on 26-30 Thus, it is expect- January 2007 in Sweden. In their first ed that in the annual meeting, the representatives of coming days the the member institutions studied the situa- member institutions will share a united tion of the Syriacs living in Europe, in ideology and move in harmony in repre- Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran and Lebanon and senting the Syriac people.

ESU plans to improve its diplomatic relations

In accordance with its program, the the attention of the EU counties to the both meetings ESU requested from the European Syriac Union (ESU) decided to Syriacs- Assyrians-Chaldeans of Iraq in Austrian government to be aware of the start a series of diplomatic relations, in order to take the necessary measures for latest developments in Turkey, of the new order to draw the attention of the interna- their protection. Thus, ESU has decided developments that may arise in Iraq such tional community to the situation of the to submit a contemporary dossier about as the possibility of an undesirable civil Syriacs in the Middle East. Especially, fol- these two issues to the representatives of war that may have abominable effects on lowing the coldness that has started in the EU countries in a series of meetings the Syriacs. the EU Turkey relations, a need to keep that will be held with them. constant attention to the situation of the Syriacs has The first meeting was held on emerged, in 4th-5th December 2006 in order to avoid Austria. Firstly, from the the existing and Austrian Foreign Affairs possible issues Commission the member that may harm responsible for the Human the Syriacs. Rights Mr. Heidl was met. Similarly, it is of Secondly, a meeting was held crucial impor- with the Austrian Green Party tance to draw MP Miss Terezija Stoistis. In

The success of Suroyo TV expands to the United States of America

Following months of hard work and preparations, since 15th October 2006 our channel Suroyo TV is now being watched by its viewers from the United States, Canada and Mexico. Thus, the success story of Suroyo TV continues by reaching the homes of the Syriac people in North America.

The technical details of Satellite frequencies for North America are as follows:

Satellite: AMC 4 101 degrees West Transponder: 21 Frequency: 12120 mhz Symbol Rate: 30.000 FEC: 3/4 The Voice of the Syriacs Volume 1 - Issue 8 page 4

The Voice of the Syriacs Ephrem the Syriac

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia in Nisibis, where Ephrem taught and ministe- IMPRINT red. Ephrem the Syriac (Syriac: Afrem Suryoyo; Information bulletin about the Latin: Ephraem Syrus; c. 306 – 373) was a Jacob, the first bishop of Nisibis was appoin- social position of the Syriacs in deacon, prolific Syriac language hymn writer ted in 308, and Ephrem grew up under his lea- and outside the Middle East. and theologian of the 4th century. He is vene- dership of the community. Jacob of Nisibis is It appears periodically, published rated by Christians throughout the world, and by the European Syriac Union recorded as a signatory at the First Council of especially among Syriac Christians, as a (ESU) in Brussels-Belgium. Nicea in 325. Ephrem was baptized as a . Ephrem wrote a wide variety of hymns, youth, and almost certainly became a son of poems and homilies in verse, as well as prose Contact: the covenant, an unusual form of Syrian Phone: 0032 2 523 4181 biblical commentaries. These were works of proto-monasticism. Jacob appointed Ephrem Fax: 0032 2 523 6201 practical theology for the edification of the as a teacher (Syriac malpānâ, a title that still Internet: www.esu.cc church in troubled times. So popular were his carries great respect for Syriac Christians). e-mail: [email protected] works, that, for centuries after his death, He was ordained as a deacon either at his Christian authors wrote hundreds of pseude- baptism or later. He began to compose hymns Address: pigraphous works in his name. Ephrem’s and write biblical commentaries as part of his works witness to an early, vibrant expression educational office. In his hymns, he someti- European Syriac Union of Christian faith, little touched by the mes refers to himself as a ‘herdsman’ Rue Bara 152 European modes of thought, and more enga- (`allānâ), to his bishop as the ‘shepherd’ 1070 Brussels ged with eastern methods of discourse. (rā`yâ) and his community as a ‘fold’ (dayrâ). Belgium His life Ephrem is popularly credited as the founder of the , which in later centuries Chairman: Mr. Iskender Alptekin Icon of from Meryem Ana was the centre of learning of the Church of the e-mail: [email protected] Kilesesi. East. Deputy. Chairm: Mr. Fikri Aygur e-mail: [email protected] Ephrem was In 337 Emperor Constantine I, who had lega- Secretary: Mrs. Linda Gabriel born around lised and promoted the practice of Christianity e-mail: [email protected] the year 306 in the , died. Seizing on this Treasurer: Mr. Tuma Çelik in the city of opportunity, Shapur II of Persia began a e-mail: [email protected] Nisibis (the series of attacks into Roman North modern Mesopotamia. Nisibis was besieged in 338, Members of the Union Turkish town 346 and 350. During the first siege, Ephrem of , credits Bishop Jacob as defending the city on the bor- Union der Suryoye Vereine in der with his prayers. Ephrem’s beloved bishop Schweiz der with died soon after the event, and Babu led the Switzerland Syria). church through the turbulent times of border Internal evi- skirmishes. In the third siege, of 350, Shapur Bethnahrin Informations Netz dence from Switzerland rerouted the River Mygdonius to undermine Ephrem’s the walls of Nisibis. The Nisibenes quickly Union der Assyrer-Suryoye hymnody repaired the walls while the Persian elephant Vereinigungen in Deutschland suggests Germany cavalry became bogged down in the wet that both his parents were part of the growing ground. Ephrem celebrated what he saw as Union der Freien Frauen Bethnahrin Christian community in the city, although later the miraculous salvation of the city in a hymn UFFB hagiographers wrote that his father was a Germany which portrayed Nisibis as being like Noah’s pagan priest. Numerous languages were spo- Ark, floating to safety on the flood. Syrianska-Assyriska Riksförbundet i ken in the Nisibis of Ephrem’s day, mostly dia- Sverige lects of Aramaic. The Christian community Church of Saint Jacob in Nisibis Sweden used the Syriac dialect. Renyo Hiro Magazine Various pagan religions, Sweden Judaism and early Christian sects vied with one another Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac Union for the hearts and minds of Netherlands the populace. It was a time of Stichting Bethnahrin Informatie great religious and political Bureau tension. The Roman Emperor, Netherlands Diocletian had signed a treaty Centre Culturel du Peuple de with his Persian counterpart, Mesopotamie Nerses in 298 that transferred Belgium Nisibis into Roman hands. Institut Mesopotamie de Bruxelles The savage persecution and Belgium martyrdom of Christians under Diocletian were an important part of Assyrer-Suryoye Kultur Verein Austria Nisibene church heritage as Ephrem grew up. To be continued in the next issue ... The newly excavated Church of Saint Jacob