Jump to content

Ancient Church of the East: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
→History: just getting the past tense right.
 
(446 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Eastern Christian denomination}}
{{Infobox Orthodox Church|
| show_name = Ancient Church of the East
{{distinguish|Assyrian Church of the East|Church of the East}}
{{Infobox Christian denomination
| image = [[File:TimothausLogo2.jpg|300px]]
| icon =
| caption =
| icon_width =
| founder = Historically St. Thomas, St. Thaddeus and his disciple Mar Mari. Split from the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] during the mid-late 60s
| icon_alt =
| independence = 1968 split from the [[Assyrian Church of the East]]
| primate= [[Mar Addai II]], Catholicos-Patriarch of the East.
| name = Ancient Church of the East
| native_name =
| headquarters= [[Baghdad]], [[Iraq]]
| native_name_lang =
| territory= [[Iraq]], [[Syria]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[United States]], [[Canada]], [[Sweden]], [[Germany]], [[United Kingdom]], [[Denmark]]
| image = Church Church of the Virgin Mary in Baghdad.jpg
| possessions= —|
| imagewidth = 200px
| religion = [[Syriac Christianity]]
| alt =
| language = [[Syriac language|Syriac]] (liturgical language)
| caption = Cathedral of the Virgin Mary<br /> [[Baghdad]], [[Iraq]]
| population = 100,000
| abbreviation = ACE
| website= http://www.stzaiacathedral.org.au/
| main_classification = [[Eastern Christianity]]
| orientation = [[Syriac Christianity]]
| theology =
| governance =
| structure =
| leader_title = [[Catholicos]]-[[Patriarch of the Church of the East|Patriarch]]
| leader_name = Gewargis III Younan
| associations =
| area =
| language = [[Syriac language|Syriac]]
| liturgy = [[East Syriac Rite]]
| headquarters = [[Baghdad]], [[Iraq]]
| origin_link =
| founder =
| founded_date =
| founded_place =
| separated_from = [[Assyrian Church of the East]]
| parent =
| merger =
| absorbed =
| separations =
| merged_into =
| defunct =
| congregations_type =
| congregations =
| members = <!-- or |number_of_followers = --> approx. 75,000, of which 45,000 are in Iraq and 20,000 in India (1999)<ref name="blackwell1" />
| ministers_type =
| ministers =
| missionaries =
| churches =
| hospitals =
| nursing_homes =
| aid =
| primary_schools =
| secondary_schools =
| tax_status =
| tertiary =
| other_names =
| publications =
| website =
| slogan =
| logo =
| footnotes =
}}
}}
The '''Ancient Church of the East''' ({{lang-syr|ܥܕܬܐ ܥܬܝܩܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ}} ''ʿĒtā ʿAttīqtā d'Maḏnəḥā'', {{lang-ar| كنيسة المشرق القديمة}}), officially the '''Ancient Holy Apostolic Catholic Church of the East''' (ܗܝ ܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܕܐܫܬܬܐܣܬ ܒܫܢܬܐ) was established in 1964. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical [[Patriarchate of Seleucia-Ctesiphon]] – the [[Church of the East]], one of the oldest Christian churches in Mesopotamia.<ref>[http://www.cnewa.us/default.aspx?ID=1&pagetypeID=9&sitecode=HQ&pageno=1 CNEWA: Ronald G. Roberson, C.S.P. - The Assyrian Church of the East]</ref>


The Ancient Church of the East was established as a result of a schism within the [[Assyrian Church of the East]], and became an independent church. The Ancient Church of the East was distinguished by its opposition to a reforms introduced in the Assyrian Church of the East of using the [[Gregorian Calendar]] rather than maintaining the traditional [[Julian calendar]] that is off by 13 days. The Ancient Church of the East became headquartered in [[Baghdad]] and headed by a separate Catholicos-Patriarch. [[Mar Thoma Darmo]] became the Church's first Catholicos-Patriarch (1968–1969). The present head of the church is Catholicos-Patriarch [[Mar Addai II]] Giwargis since 1970. It is considered the most traditionalist in the Eastern Rite churches.
The '''Ancient Church of the East''' ('''ACE''') is an [[Eastern Christian]] denomination. It branched from the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] in 1964, under the leadership of [[Mar (title)|Mar]] [[Thoma Darmo|Toma Darmo]] (d. 1969). It is one of three [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] Churches that claim continuity with the historical [[Church of the East]] (the ancient [[Patriarchal Province of Seleucia-Ctesiphon]]), the others being the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] and the [[Chaldean Catholic Church]]. Since 1969, the see of the Ancient Church of the East is headquartered in Baghdad.<ref name="blackwell1" />


==History==
== History ==
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Patriarch Mar Thoma Darmo.jpg|150px|thumb|right|His Holiness [[Mar Thoma Darmo]], first Catholicos-Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East]] -->
The position of Catholicos-Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East remained vacant for the initial four years of the Church (1964-1967). In 1968, the followers of the newly established church elected a rival catholicos-patriarch [[Mar Thoma Darmo]] while [[Shimun XXIII Eshai|Mar Shimun XXIII]] continued as the official head of the [[Assyrian Church of the East]]. The elected catholicos-patriarch Mar Thoma Darmo was a native of Mesopotamia, a former Metropolitan of the Assyrian Church of the East in India from 1952 to 1968 based at [[Thrissur]], [[India]]. He became the head of the Ancient Church of the East in October 1968 and relocated to Baghdad.


{{Update|section|date=November 2023}}
Following Patriarch Mar Thoma Darmo's death in 1969, [[Mar Addai II]] was elected to head the Ancient Church of the East in February 1970.


In 1964, a decision by [[Patriarch]] Mar [[Shimun XXIII Eshai]] of the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] to switch over from the traditional [[Julian calendar]] to the [[Gregorian calendar]] led part of the Church of the East, to split off in a [[Schism in Christianity|schism]]. The breakaway group called itself the Ancient Church of the East and in 1968 [[Consecration|consecrated]] their own patriarch, [[Thoma Darmo|Mar Toma Darmo]], who strongly opposed to the system of hereditary succession of the position of patriarch of the Church of the East, as well as its adoption of the Gregorian calendar "and other modernizing measures". Mar Darmo was also joined by "various other groups opposed to Mar Shimun."<ref name="blackwell1">{{Cite book|url=http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/9781405166584|title=The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity|date=2017-09-01|publisher=Blackwell Publishing Ltd|isbn=978-1-4051-6658-4|editor-last=Parry|editor-first=Ken|location=Oxford, UK|pages=122–3|language=en|chapter=Church of the East|doi=10.1002/9781405166584|orig-year=1999|editor2-last=Melling|editor2-first=David J.|editor3-last=Brady|editor3-first=Dimitri|editor4-last=Griffith|editor4-first=Sidney H.|editor5-last=Healey|editor5-first=John F.}}</ref>
The head of the church is the [[Patriarch of the Church of the East]], who also bears the title of ''[[Catholicos]]'', presently [[Mar Addai II]]. The Ancient Church of the East has an [[ordination|ordained]] clergy divided into the three traditional orders of [[deacon]], [[priest]] (or [[presbyter]]), and [[bishop]]. It also has an [[episcopal polity]], meaning it is organized into [[diocese]]s, each headed by a bishop and made up of several individual [[parish]] communities overseen by priests. Dioceses are organized into [[Ecclesiastical province|provinces]] under the authority of a [[metropolitan bishop]].


Mar Yacob III Daniel was elected as new patriarch in June 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fides |first=Agenzia |title=ASIA/IRAQ - Mar Yakoob III Danil elected new Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East - Agenzia Fides |url=http://www.fides.org/en/news/72313-ASIA_IRAQ_Mar_Yakoob_III_Danil_elected_new_Patriarch_of_the_Ancient_Church_of_the_East%7B%7BBare+URL+inline%7Cdate=December+2022%7D%7D |access-date=18 December 2022 |website=www.fides.org}}</ref> However, he abdicated two months later in August 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |last=SyriacPress |date=2022-08-15 |title=Patriarch of Ancient Church of the East Mar Yakoob III Danil abdicates two months after election |url=https://syriacpress.com/blog/2022/08/15/patriarch-of-ancient-church-of-the-east-mar-yakoob-iii-danil-abdicates-two-months-after-election/ |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=SyriacPress |language=en-US}}</ref> and on 12 November 2022 the Holy Synod elected Mar Gewargis Younan to take his place. The consecration of the patriarch-elect was scheduled to take place in Baghdad in June 2023,<ref>{{Cite web |last=SyriacPress |date=2022-11-15 |title=Mor Gorgis Younan elected as new Patriarch of Ancient Church of the East |url=https://syriacpress.com/blog/2022/11/15/mor-gorgis-younan-elected-as-new-patriarch-of-ancient-church-of-the-east/ |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=SyriacPress |language=en-US}}</ref> and on 9 June, Mar Gewargis III Younan was consecrated as the 110th Patriarch of the Ancient Church of The East.
;Hierarchy
In September 1968 Mar Addai Giwargis was consecrated Metropolitan of Iraq, Mar [[Aprem Mooken]] was consecrated Metropolitan of India, and Mar Poulose Poulose was consecrated Bishop of India. These prelates in turn consecrated Mar [[Thoma Darmo]] Catholicos-Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East during the first week of October 1968. H.H. Mar Thoma Darmo died in September 1969, and Mar Addai Giwargis became Acting Patriarch. Mar Addai Giwargis consecrated two Metropolitans in December 1969, Mar [[Narsai Toma]] for Kirkuk, and Mar Toma Eramia for Mosul and Northern Iraq. Mar Addai's jurisdiction now was Baghdad.


== Organisation ==
In February 1972, Mar Narsai Toma of Kirkuk and Mar Toma Giwargis of Nineveh consecrated Mar Addai Giwargis as Catholicos-Patriarch.
=== Holy Synod ===
The [[Holy Synod]] is listed as follow:
* Mar Gewargis III Younan, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Whole World (seat in [[Baghdad, Iraq]])
* Mar Yacob Daniel, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Baghdad and Basra (seat in [[Baghdad and Basra]])
* Mar Zaia Khoshaba, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Canada and the United States (seat in [[Toronto, Canada]])
* Mar Toma Aramia, Metropolitan who resides in Canada (seat in [[Toronto, Canada]])
* Mar Shimun Daniel Alkhoury,<ref>{{Cite web|title=رئيس الديوان يحضر مراسيم تكريس الاب دانيال الخوري طيماثيوس أسقفا على ايبارشية العراق للكنيسة الشرقية القديمة|url=https://www.cese.iq/akhbar/CESE-arch-2021/akh-arch-90-26092021.htm|access-date=2022-01-13|website=www.cese.iq}}</ref> Bishop of Iraq and the Middle East.


== List of catholicos-patriarchs ==
Mar Daniel Yakob, Bishop of Kirkuk for the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] was accepted in the Ancient Church of the East, in 1985, to head the North American parishes. In July 1992, Mar Yacoub Daniel was consecrated Bishop for Syria and in June 1993 Mar Emmanuel Elia as Bishop for the Patriarchate of Baghdad. In 1994, Mar Emmanuel Elia shifted his residence and became Bishop of North America (USA and Canada).


=== Prior to 1964 ===
Several changes occurred in the church hierarchy during November–December 1995. Mar Aprem Mooken, Mar Pouluse Poulose and the Church in India united with the Assyrian Church of the East. [[Timothaus Mar Shallita]] was accepted into the Holy Synod and appointed Metropolitan of Europe, and Mar Yacoub Daniel was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan.
{{further|List of patriarchs of the Church of the East}}


=== Since 1968 ===
In 2008, the Church expanded into the Philippines when Mar Levi Bar Kepha was visited by Rev. Fr. Khoshaba and Rev. Deacon Georges, who came to the Philippines as representatives of His Holiness Mar Addai II, for the Ancient Church of the East. They visited the mission areas of Mar Levi. After the visit, he signed a document drawn up by the visitators. The document clearly stated the "oath of obedience to H.H. Mar Addai II..." and his appointment as Metropolitan-Archbishop for the Philippines. He is still the head of the Ancient Apostolic Catholic Church of the East in the Philippines. He has not retired as claimed by some unscrupulous higher clergy nor was he replaced by Mar Yokhannan bar Thoma. His Vicar General at present is Mar Shimun-Artemus Bar Kepha who serves with him in Metro Manila and the Philippine jurisdiction.
* [[Thoma Darmo]] (1968–1969)
Mar Shimun-Artemus Bar Kepha, is no longer a member of the Council of Bishops of the ECC since June this year, 2013 when he was accepted back into the A-ACCE under Mar Levi Bar Kepha. Therefore, assignments and functions entrusted to him by the Council are expunged.
* [[Addai II Giwargis]] (1972–2022)
It should be noted that the Eastern Catholic Church in the Philippines, headed by Mar Yokhannan bar Thoma is not connected in any manner with the Ancient Apostolic Catholic Church of the East under the leadership of Mar Levi Bar Kepha nor is it under the Ancient Church of the East headed by H.H. Mar Addai II. It is a separate jurisdiction.
* Yacob III Daniel (2022–2022)
* Gewargis III Younan (9 June 2023<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/language/assyrian/en/podcast-episode/the-inauguration-of-his-beatitude-mar-giwargis-younan-as-the-hundred-and-tenth-patriarch/cnd1m5grt | title=New era for the Ancient Church of the East: The inauguration of His Grace Mar Gewargis Younan }}</ref> – present)


==Relationship with the Assyrian Church of the East==
In July 2005, Mar Yacoub Daniel was transferred from Syria to serve in Australia and New Zealand.
Under the tenure of Addai II, the Ancient Church of the East has made several gestures towards reunification with the Assyrian Church of the East. The most prominent of these is undoubtedly the declaration made in June 2010 stating that the Ancient Church of the East would now celebrate [[Christmas]] in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Previously, the church used the traditional Julian date for the Christmas Day (December 25 of the Julian calendar currently corresponds to January 7 of the Gregorian Calendar), as the Church of the East had throughout its history. The decision was to be implemented later that year, on December 25, 2010.<ref>[http://theassyrian.com.au/news/global/ancient-church-of-the-east-moves-to-change-calendar The Assyrian: Ancient Church of the East moves to change calendar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706112523/http://theassyrian.com.au/global/ancient-church-of-the-east-moves-to-change-calendar |date=2011-07-06 }}</ref>


=== Dialogue for reunification ===
In April 2009, H.H. Mar Addai II consecrated Mar Zaia Khoshaba, Bishop for Baghdad, and Mar Aprem Daweed, Bishop of Duhok. 2011 saw the resignation of two bishops, namely Mar Emmanuel Eliya and Mar Aprem Daweed. In August 2011, Mar Yacoub Daniel along with Mar Zaia Khoshaba consecrated Mar Mari Emmanuel as Bishop for Australia and New Zealand, assisting the Metropolitan.
Following the death (March 2015) of [[Dinkha IV]], Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East,<ref>{{Cite web|date=14 April 2015|title=Decree of the Holy Synod|url=https://news.assyrianchurch.org/decree-of-the-holy-synod/|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Assyrian Church News|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116184510/http://news.assyrianchurch.org/decree-of-the-holy-synod/ |archive-date=2017-01-16 }}</ref> dialogue of unification continued between the churches.


On May 22, 2015, a meeting involving prelates of both Holy Councils took place in Chicago, Illinois, in the library of St. Andrew's Assyrian Church of the East. Present were Yacoub Daniel, Zaia Khoshaba, and Gewargis Younan representing the Ancient Church of the East, and Gewargis Sliwa, Awa Royel, and Iskhaq Yousif representing the Assyrian Church of the East. Archdeacon William Toma served as the meeting's common secretary. Yacoub Daniel flew in from Australia for the meeting, and Zaia traveled from Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PRESS RELEASE|url=https://news.assyrianchurch.org/press-release/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Assyrian Church News|language=en-US}}</ref>
;Calendar issues
In June 2010, the Ancient Church of the East Synod officially declared that the church will begin starting 2010 to celebrate [[Christmas]] on the 25 December of each year according to the [[Gregorian calendar]]. From its establishment, the church had continued to celebrate Christmas on January 7 of each year. This move will mean that both the Ancient Church of the East and the Assyrian Church of the East will follow the same calendar. The calendar issue was one of the main reasons the Church of the East had split.<ref>[http://theassyrian.com.au/news/global/ancient-church-of-the-east-moves-to-change-calendar The Assyrian: Ancient Church of the East moves to change calendar]</ref> Easter will continue to be celebrated according to the [[Julian calendar]].


On June 1, 2015, the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East met in Erbil, Iraq, to discuss the future of the church. The date had previously been arranged for the election of the new Catholicos-Patriarch. Awa Royel issued a statement on the same day, notifying the public that a response to the Ancient Church of the East's recommendations for reunification had been delivered to their prelates. The letter requested a prompt response to the terms, and the election of the new Patriarch was suspended until the following week, on June 8, 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Press Release from the holy Council of Bishops of the Assyrian Church of the East|url=https://news.assyrianchurch.org/press-release-from-the-holy-council-of-bishops-of-the-assyrian-church-of-the-east/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Assyrian Church News|language=en-US}}</ref>
This latest move by the Ancient Church of the East comes as a reconciliatory gesture to encourage efforts for talks for reunification. A joint holy synod between the two churches was postponed and is expected to be held at some future date.


On June 5, 2015, Aprem Mooken issued a formal statement announcing that the election of the next Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East was suspended until September (2015), pending the unification of the churches.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.assyrianchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/COMMUNIQUE-IN-ENGLISH.pdf|title=Statement of the Council of Hierarchs of the Assyrian Church of the East (2015)|accessdate=18 December 2022}}</ref>
== Organisation ==
Dioceses
* Patriarchal Archdiocese of [[Baghdad]] and [[Basra]]
* Archdiocese of [[Kirkuk]]
* Archdiocese of [[Mosul]] and Northern Iraq
* Archdiocese of [[Syria]]
* Diocese of [[Europe]]
* Diocese of [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]]
* Diocese of [[North America]]


It turned out that unification was not achievable. On 18 September, Assyrian Church of the East elected [[Gewargis III]] as the new head of the Church, and he was consecrated and enthroned as Catholicos-Patriarch on 27 September 2015.<ref name="Biography of His Holiness Mar Gewargis III">{{cite web|last1=Royel|first1=Mar Awa|title=Biography of His Holiness Mar Gewargis III|url=http://news.assyrianchurch.org/2015/09/28/biography-of-hh-mar-gewargis-iii/12463|website=Holy Catholic Apostolic Assyrian Church of the East Official News Website|publisher=Assyrian Church of the East|access-date=29 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002025212/http://news.assyrianchurch.org/2015/09/28/biography-of-hh-mar-gewargis-iii/12463|archive-date=2 October 2015}}</ref>
Holy Synod of the church is made up of:
*Mar Addai II, Catholicos-Patriarch of the East residing in Patriarchal Palace, Hay al-Riyadh, Baghdad (Iraq)
*[[Mar Narsai Toma]]: Metropolitan of Kirkuk
*Mar Toma Giwargis: Metropolitan of Mosul and Northern Iraq
*Mar Yacoub Daniel: Metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand
*Mar Timothaus Shallita: Metropolitan of Europe
*Mar Zaia Khoshaba: Auxiliary Bishop of Baghdad and Care-taker Bishop of Syria & North America
*Mar Mari Emmanuel: Auxiliary Bishop of Australia and New Zealand
*Mar Daniel Yakob: Bishop of California
*vacant: Bishop of Syria


In spite of the fact that unification was not achieved, leaders of both Churches have continued to promote various forms of mutual cooperation.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chicago Commemorates the 100th Martyrdom Anniversary of Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI|url=https://news.assyrianchurch.org/chicago-commemorates-the-100th-martyrdom-anniversary-of-mar-benyamin-shimun-xxi/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Assyrian Church News|language=en-US}}</ref>
==List of Catholicoi-Patriarchs of the Ancient Church of the East==


After the death of [[Mar Addai II]], reunification failed in May 2022 and the election of a new patriarch was therefore launched.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 June 2022 |title=Ancient Church of the East picks new patriarch, puts brakes on reunification |url=https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Ancient-Church-of-the-East-picks-new-patriarch,-puts-brakes-on-reunification-55956.html |website=AsiaNews}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=2022-06-04 |title=New patriarch elected for the Ancient Church of the East |url=https://syriacpress.com/blog/2022/06/04/new-patriarch-elected-for-the-ancient-church-of-the-east/ |access-date=2022-06-04 |website=SyriacPress |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Prior to 1964===
{{Main|List of Patriarchs of the Church of the East}}
The Ancient Church of the East acknowledges the traditional lineage of the Patriarchs of the Church of the East from Thoma Shlikha, ([[Thomas (Apostle)|Saint Thomas]]) (c. 33-c. 77) until the schism 1964-1967 and considers itself a true continuation of this lineage.


==See also==
During the reign of [[Mar Eshai Shimun XXIII|Mar Shimun XXIII]], in 1964, a schism appeared in the Assyrian Church of the East causing the establishment of the Ancient Church of the East. The seat of the new church remained vacant for three years before [[Mar Thoma Darmo]] was assigned as Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East, while Mar Shimun XXIII continued as the official head of the [[Assyrian Church of the East]].
* [[Assyrian people]]
* [[Chaldean Catholic Church]]
* [[Chaldean Syrian Church]]
* [[Church of the East]]
* [[East Syrian Rite]]


==References==
===1964–present===
{{Reflist|2}}


=== Sources ===
*''Vacant'' (1964–1967)&nbsp;– first period of the schism
{{Refbegin|2}}
*[[Mar Thoma Darmo]] (1968–1969)
* {{Cite book|last1=Baum|first1=Wilhelm|author-link1=Wilhelm Baum (historian)|last2=Winkler|first2=Dietmar W.|title=The Church of the East: A Concise History|year=2003|location=London-New York|publisher=Routledge-Curzon|isbn=9781134430192|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CnSCAgAAQBAJ}}
*''Vacant'' (1969-1972)
* {{Cite book|last=Baumer|first=Christoph|title=The Church of the East: An Illustrated History of Assyrian Christianity|year=2006|location=London-New York|publisher=Tauris|isbn=9781845111151|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SQ7ZAAAAMAAJ}}
*[[Mar Addai II]] (1972–present)
{{refend}}


==See also==
== Further reading ==
{{Portal|Assyrians}}
*[[Church of the East]]
*[[Assyrian Church of the East]]
*[[East Syrian Rite]]
*[[List of Patriarchs of the Church of the East]]
*[[Chaldean Syrian Church]] in India (also known as Assyrian Church of the East in India)
*[[Chaldean Catholic Church]]
*[[Assyrian people]]


* {{Cite book|last=Mooken|first=Aprem|author-link=Aprem Mooken|title=The History of the Assyrian Church of the East in the Twentieth Century|year=2003|location=Kottayam|publisher=St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofassyria0018mara}}
==References==
* {{Cite book|last=Hage|first=Wolfgang|title=Das orientalische Christentum|year=2007|location=Stuttgart|publisher=Kohlhammer Verlag|isbn=9783170176683|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jgz_NyvRFIUC}}
*Mar Aprem Mooken, ''The Assyrian Church of the East in the Twentieth Century''. Mōrān ’Eth’ō, 18. (Kottayam: St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute, 2003).
* {{Cite journal|last=Coakley|first=James F.|title=The Church of the East since 1914|journal=Bulletin of the John Rylands Library|year=1996|volume=78|issue=3|pages=179–198|doi=10.7227/BJRL.78.3.14|url=https://www.escholar.manchester.ac.uk/enwiki/api/datastream?publicationPid=uk-ac-man-scw:1m2407&datastreamId=POST-PEER-REVIEW-PUBLISHERS-DOCUMENT.PDF}}
*Bishop James Hess, Nestorian Apostolic Bishop, "Bishops at Large", by Bishop Alan Bain published in the UK. 1985
*Most Rev James H Hess, "A Directory of Autocephalous Bishops" by Bishop [[Karl Pruter]], St Willibrord Press, USA, 1985
*Rev George Badger (Anglican priest and protégé of the Archbishop of Canterbury), "Nestorians and Their Rituals", published by Oxford University c. 1860.
*The Thirty Nine Articles of the Church of England, as published in the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England, Cambridge University Press, 1968
*"The Pearl ([[Marganitha]]), On The Truth of Christianity" Written in 1298 AD by Mar Odisho, Metropolitan of Suwa and Armenia. Translated and published in English by the late Patriarch, Shimun (Simon) XXIII, in 1964.
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
*[http://www.karozota.com/ Karoz / Karozota website]
*[http://www.stzaiacathedral.org.au/ St Zaia Cathedral, Diocese of Australia]
*[http://www.ecc-mspa-esmp.org/ The Holy Eastern Catholic Church in the Philippines]
{{Syriac Christianity}}
{{Syriac Christianity}}
{{Eastern Christianity footer}}
{{Patriarchates in Christianity}}
{{Christianity footer}}
{{Assyrian topics}}

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Ancient Church Of The East}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ancient Church Of The East}}
[[Category:Ancient Church of the East| ]]
[[Category:Ancient Church of the East| ]]
[[Category:Syriac Christianity]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1964]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1968]]
[[Category:1964 establishments in Iraq]]
[[Category:Christian denominations established in the 20th century]]
[[Category:Christian denominations established in the 20th century]]

Latest revision as of 00:15, 31 October 2024

Not to be confused with Assyrian Church of the East or Church of the East.
Ancient Church of the East
Cathedral of the Virgin Mary
Baghdad, Iraq
AbbreviationACE
ClassificationEastern Christianity
OrientationSyriac Christianity
Catholicos-PatriarchGewargis III Younan
LanguageSyriac
LiturgyEast Syriac Rite
HeadquartersBaghdad, Iraq
Separated fromAssyrian Church of the East
Membersapprox. 75,000, of which 45,000 are in Iraq and 20,000 in India (1999)[1]

The Ancient Church of the East (ACE) is an Eastern Christian denomination. It branched from the Assyrian Church of the East in 1964, under the leadership of Mar Toma Darmo (d. 1969). It is one of three Assyrian Churches that claim continuity with the historical Church of the East (the ancient Patriarchal Province of Seleucia-Ctesiphon), the others being the Assyrian Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Church. Since 1969, the see of the Ancient Church of the East is headquartered in Baghdad.[1]

History

[edit]

In 1964, a decision by Patriarch Mar Shimun XXIII Eshai of the Assyrian Church of the East to switch over from the traditional Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar led part of the Church of the East, to split off in a schism. The breakaway group called itself the Ancient Church of the East and in 1968 consecrated their own patriarch, Mar Toma Darmo, who strongly opposed to the system of hereditary succession of the position of patriarch of the Church of the East, as well as its adoption of the Gregorian calendar "and other modernizing measures". Mar Darmo was also joined by "various other groups opposed to Mar Shimun."[1]

Mar Yacob III Daniel was elected as new patriarch in June 2022.[2] However, he abdicated two months later in August 2022,[3] and on 12 November 2022 the Holy Synod elected Mar Gewargis Younan to take his place. The consecration of the patriarch-elect was scheduled to take place in Baghdad in June 2023,[4] and on 9 June, Mar Gewargis III Younan was consecrated as the 110th Patriarch of the Ancient Church of The East.

Organisation

[edit]

Holy Synod

[edit]

The Holy Synod is listed as follow:

  • Mar Gewargis III Younan, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Whole World (seat in Baghdad, Iraq)
  • Mar Yacob Daniel, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Baghdad and Basra (seat in Baghdad and Basra)
  • Mar Zaia Khoshaba, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Canada and the United States (seat in Toronto, Canada)
  • Mar Toma Aramia, Metropolitan who resides in Canada (seat in Toronto, Canada)
  • Mar Shimun Daniel Alkhoury,[5] Bishop of Iraq and the Middle East.

List of catholicos-patriarchs

[edit]

Prior to 1964

[edit]
Further information: List of patriarchs of the Church of the East

Since 1968

[edit]

Relationship with the Assyrian Church of the East

[edit]

Under the tenure of Addai II, the Ancient Church of the East has made several gestures towards reunification with the Assyrian Church of the East. The most prominent of these is undoubtedly the declaration made in June 2010 stating that the Ancient Church of the East would now celebrate Christmas in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Previously, the church used the traditional Julian date for the Christmas Day (December 25 of the Julian calendar currently corresponds to January 7 of the Gregorian Calendar), as the Church of the East had throughout its history. The decision was to be implemented later that year, on December 25, 2010.[7]

Dialogue for reunification

[edit]

Following the death (March 2015) of Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East,[8] dialogue of unification continued between the churches.

On May 22, 2015, a meeting involving prelates of both Holy Councils took place in Chicago, Illinois, in the library of St. Andrew's Assyrian Church of the East. Present were Yacoub Daniel, Zaia Khoshaba, and Gewargis Younan representing the Ancient Church of the East, and Gewargis Sliwa, Awa Royel, and Iskhaq Yousif representing the Assyrian Church of the East. Archdeacon William Toma served as the meeting's common secretary. Yacoub Daniel flew in from Australia for the meeting, and Zaia traveled from Canada.[9]

On June 1, 2015, the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East met in Erbil, Iraq, to discuss the future of the church. The date had previously been arranged for the election of the new Catholicos-Patriarch. Awa Royel issued a statement on the same day, notifying the public that a response to the Ancient Church of the East's recommendations for reunification had been delivered to their prelates. The letter requested a prompt response to the terms, and the election of the new Patriarch was suspended until the following week, on June 8, 2015.[10]

On June 5, 2015, Aprem Mooken issued a formal statement announcing that the election of the next Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East was suspended until September (2015), pending the unification of the churches.[11]

It turned out that unification was not achievable. On 18 September, Assyrian Church of the East elected Gewargis III as the new head of the Church, and he was consecrated and enthroned as Catholicos-Patriarch on 27 September 2015.[12]

In spite of the fact that unification was not achieved, leaders of both Churches have continued to promote various forms of mutual cooperation.[13]

After the death of Mar Addai II, reunification failed in May 2022 and the election of a new patriarch was therefore launched.[14][15]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Parry, Ken; Melling, David J.; Brady, Dimitri; Griffith, Sidney H.; Healey, John F., eds. (2017-09-01) [1999]. "Church of the East". The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. pp. 122–3. doi:10.1002/9781405166584. ISBN 978-1-4051-6658-4.
  2. ^ Fides, Agenzia. "ASIA/IRAQ - Mar Yakoob III Danil elected new Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East - Agenzia Fides". www.fides.org. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  3. ^ SyriacPress (2022-08-15). "Patriarch of Ancient Church of the East Mar Yakoob III Danil abdicates two months after election". SyriacPress. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  4. ^ SyriacPress (2022-11-15). "Mor Gorgis Younan elected as new Patriarch of Ancient Church of the East". SyriacPress. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
  5. ^ "رئيس الديوان يحضر مراسيم تكريس الاب دانيال الخوري طيماثيوس أسقفا على ايبارشية العراق للكنيسة الشرقية القديمة". www.cese.iq. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  6. ^ "New era for the Ancient Church of the East: The inauguration of His Grace Mar Gewargis Younan".
  7. ^ The Assyrian: Ancient Church of the East moves to change calendar Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Decree of the Holy Synod". Assyrian Church News. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  9. ^ "PRESS RELEASE". Assyrian Church News. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  10. ^ "Press Release from the holy Council of Bishops of the Assyrian Church of the East". Assyrian Church News. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  11. ^ "Statement of the Council of Hierarchs of the Assyrian Church of the East (2015)" (PDF). Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  12. ^ Royel, Mar Awa. "Biography of His Holiness Mar Gewargis III". Holy Catholic Apostolic Assyrian Church of the East Official News Website. Assyrian Church of the East. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  13. ^ "Chicago Commemorates the 100th Martyrdom Anniversary of Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI". Assyrian Church News. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  14. ^ "Ancient Church of the East picks new patriarch, puts brakes on reunification". AsiaNews. 4 June 2022.
  15. ^ "New patriarch elected for the Ancient Church of the East". SyriacPress. 2022-06-04. Retrieved 2022-06-04.

Sources

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Church_of_the_East&oldid=1254438400"