A Publication of Saint Andrew’s Assyrian Church of the East-Glenview, Illinois SUMMER- 2014 QUARTERLY MAGAZINE VOLUME 5, ISSUE 2 A Brief Biograph Mar Ishoo, which had been built at +Mar Yousip of blessed of memory, of blessed the entrance of the 5th century. This while a young lad, knew fully the Office memory +Mar particular family had risen to prom- to which he was being groomed. While Yousip Khnanisho inence for there were 12 Metropoli- a young son of the Holy Church, he Metropolitan of tan Archbishops who had come knew all the services of the Diaconal Iraq, the Church forth from this family, one following calling, together with that of the Priestly of the East, and of the other. They were well regard- Office from the depths of his heart, he The Assyrian ed and well know for their Christian was tutored by the late Qashisha Qash- Community piety, faith, leadership skills and isha +Rehanna was known for his depth Many years past, it had become a faithful labor among the Christian of knowledge in the Aramaic language general practice, through the vicissi- believers of The Holy Church. and the Holy Theological truths of the tude of time and of the general pro- There are five (5) tombs in the mon- Holy Church, also knowing the lan- posal of the blessed Prelates of the astery of Mar Ishoo, with the re- guages of the Turks and of the Russians Holy Church and with the acceptance mains of these earlier Metropoli- Under the tutoring of Qashisha of the various chieftains within the tans; the other three (3) tombs are +Rehanna, many students were study- Assyrian community, the Prelates not known, because of the changes ing and preparing for the Holy Priest- were selected and ordained to ser- which had occurred on the grounds hood in the Monastery of Mar Ishoo. It vice The Church from among certain of the monastery. was from this monastery that priests chosen families who were known for and bishops were prepared, formed, The ninth Metropolitan rested in their faith, piety, holiness and signifi- for the whole of the metropolitanate. It peace in the region of Bataan, fol- cant sacrifices made in behalf of The is for this reason that +Mar Yousip had lowing his returning journey from Church and of the Assyrian Christian been set aside and ordained to the Of- the visit to Jerusalem where he vis- Community of believers. fice of Deacon at the age of 12. In the ited the holy places. Subsequently year of 1912 he was ordained to the The custom had been organized and his earthly remain were interred in Sacred Office of Priest; following his developed to pass on from uncle to the Church of Bnai Shumi in the Vil- profound knowledge of Holy Doctrine, the first born nephew the Sacred lage of Char-roo-khia. the Theological Truths in The Church; Episcopal Office. We, thus, recog- The tenth (10th) Metropolitan rested and that of the language of The Church; nize that before +Mar Yousip was in the Village of Bahloolan during Aramaic. In 1914, at the beginning of born, according to the custom of the his Apostolic Sojourn to the region World War I, +Mar Yousip was sent as a Nazarites, observed by the Prelates of Targarwar, his earthly remains representative of Mar +Iskhaq Khnani- of The Church of the East, his mother were interred in The Church of Mar sho to the Patriarchal Cell in Qochanis, would abstain from the consumption Toma Shilkha in the Village of to attend the Patriarchal Council which of animal flesh (meats) till his birth Bahloolan, at the request of the was preparing for the change which and weaning. His remarkable birth faithful of The Church of that re- might occur in the event of the WWI in 1893, it is declared that he was gion. Till this present day his tomb influence or disturbances in The born as a Nazarene under the Naza- remains in peace among us. The Church of the East and among the As- rite vow, being reared in solitude till eleventh (11th) +Mar Iskhaq Khnan- syrian Christian believers. It was at this his rest falling asleep into the hand of ishoo, at the time of the exodus of time, (June 10th 1914) while on this em- our Lord in the year 1977 Assyrian Christians from the moun- bassy to Qochanis, he was elevated to +Mar Yousip of blessed memory if tainous region of Hakkari; fell the Sacred Office of the Episcopacy by descended from the well known asleep enroute to the City of Kar- +Mar Benjamin Shimun of blessed household or family of a Mar Khnani- manshah, in Persia, his tomb re- memory. His Excellency remained in sho Metropolitan of Rustaqa. He mains to this present day; it is a Qochanis till 1916 as an assistant to the lived in the Village of Mar Ishoo in shrine where the faithful of the re- Catholicos Patriarch. When the Assyri- the region of Shamisdan in modern gion visit frequently. an Christian abandoned their home- day Turkey, near the monastery of land, Continue on page 6 The twelfth (12th) Metropolitan is Copyright © 2014 by Assyrian Church of the East Page 1 HOLY APOSTOLIC CATHOLIC ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST Words of an An- 0 my son! every sheep that wanders cient Assyrian from its path and its companions be- Philosopher comes food for the wolf. Assyrian Church Many have read 0 my son! a friend who is near is better of the East Youth the quote, “The than a more excellent brother who is Association pen is mightier far away (ACEYA) than the sword” 0 my son! rejoice not in the death of but how many thine enemy, for after a little while know its origin? thou shalt be his neighbour, An ancient Assyrian philosopher Wow, time has flown by! It named Ahiqar wrote the first version 0 my son! the hand which does not la- seems just like yesterday that we of the quote around 500 BC. Initially bour and plough and (which) is were starting our preparations for he wrote, “The word is mightier than greedy and cunning shall be cut away this year’s conference, which took the sword.” As someone who collects from its shoulder. place in Illinois. quotes, I thought it would be benefi- The advice Ahiqar gives to his neph- cial to share words written by Ahiqar. At this point you may ask, “What is a ew can be applied to today’s chaotic Much like us Assyrians overall, Youth Conference?” Well, His Holi- world. Ahiqar comments on a wide Ahiqar’s wisdom is virtually un- ness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos- variety of topics when speaking to his known. Although his words are quite Patriarch of the Holy Apostolic Assyr- nephew, almost as if he is giving him ancient, his philosophy is not outdat- ian Church of the East established the a lesson on how to behave as an ideal ed. Ahiqar is sometimes referred to annual youth conference back in human being. Many of Ahiqar’s say- as an Aramean. His writings were 1987. It is a get together of all of the ings mirror the words found in the found on an Aramaic papyrus text.1 In youth associations from all over the Holy Bible.2 The difficulties that exist- the ancient script, he writes a narra- United States. This year the confer- ed in ancient times also exist today. tive in which he communicates with ence marked its 27th anniversary of The ending of Ahiqar’s narrative is an his nephew. He also mentions that he this very spiritual and social event. interesting one I will not reveal. himself is an advisor under the Assyr- Every year a theme is chosen to rep- ian kings Sennacherib and Esarhad- As Christians our faith in Christ al- resent the conference, this year the don. To get a better sense of his phi- lows us to believe that we will be theme was, “Building Leaders One losophy I have included a few of his looked after at all times, regardless Youth At A Time.” The theme is the sayings below: of what period of time we live in. The main idea of which the bible studies Bible reminds of this reality in John 0 my son! make thy eloquence easy to to be based upon. Our spiritual fa- 16:33 (Lamsa Aramaic Bible), “In the the listener, and be not hasty to return thers including priests and bishops world you will have tribulation; but an answer. from all over the United States teach have courage, I have conquered the every year. Workshop based classes 0 my son! covet not outward beauty, world.” Likewise Philippians 4:8 tells are implemented in these confer- for it wanes and passes away, but an us, “whatever is true, whatever is ences, which are a very involved way honourable remembrance lasts for honest, whatever is just, whatever is of teaching the theme of Leadership. aye. pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any virtue On behalf of the whole conference 0 my son! let not a silly woman deceive and if there is any praise, think about planning committee, we would like to thee with her speech, lest thou die the these things.” Let us be guided by thank all of our sponsors and support- most miserable of deaths, and she en- Ahiqar’s wise words and the words of ers. God willing, and as decided by tangle thee in the net till thou art en- the living Truth.