Assyrian Church News Official News Site of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East

On Monday 16th November recently ordained priests, Reverend Fr Ramen Youkhanis and Reverend Father Shlemon Dinkha graduated with their Masters of Theological Studies from the Australian Catholic University, Strathfield. Initially planned to have graduated in April 2020, however due to COVID the graduation ceremony was postponed to November 2020 alongside hundreds of other ACU students. Rev’d Fr Ramen and Rev’d Fr Shlemon were ordained on Sunday 6th September 2020 in Sydney as the official parish priests of St Hurmizd’s Cathedral and St Mary’s Church, respectively.

Voice of the East – Vol. 67 – July-August & September-October 2020 – No’s 07, 08, 09 & 10

On Sunday 6 September, His Eminence Mar Meelis Zaia AM Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and Lebanon elevated two deacons to the ranking of priesthood to serve Sydney’s Saint Hurmizd’s Cathedral and St Mary’s Church, Reverend Father Ramen Youkhanis and Father Shlemon Dinkha (formerly Riyadh), respectively. The ordination was celebrated by the Metropolitan with the participation of His Grace Mar Benyamin Elya, Bishop of Victoria and New Zealand and His Grace Mar Awraham Youkhanis, Bishop of Western Europe. During the service, the Metropolitan also announced that Revered Chorbishop Fr Ashoor Lazar would be elevated to Archdeacon (the highest ranking of non-episcopal priesthood in the Assyrian Church of the East) for the Archdiocese in the new year, subject to the easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. His Eminence also conveyed his warm wishes and immense thanks to Reverend Father Kivarkis Atto who has reached the age of retirement. Fr Atto has been the parish priest of St Mary’s Church since 1995 and has worked tirelessly for the parish and its members. The newly appointed and ordained priests will lead Sydney’s St Hurmizd’s Cathedral and St Mary’s Church parishes and serve the Assyrian Church of the East community in Sydney …

Voice of the East – Vol. 67 – March-April & May-June 2020 – No’s 03, 04, 05 & 06

The Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and Lebanon is pleased to announce that on Sunday the 6th day of September 2020, His Eminence Mar Meelis Zaia AM will ordain Reverend Deacons Riyadh Dinkha and Ramen Youkhanis to the ranking of Priesthood for the Holy Church. The ordination will take place at St Hurmizd’s Cathedral at 8:00am. As we are facing the current pandemic, the ordination will be streamed live (further details to be provided closer to date).   Reverend Deacon Riyadh Dinkha’s Biography Rev Dn Riyadh was born in Baghdad, Iraq on the 14th day of September 1979 to parents the Late Shlemon Dinkha and Ms Mariam Qashow. He migrated to New Zealand in 2000, and settled in Australia with his family in 2013. Rev Dn Riyadh spent his childhood immersed in church services in Iraq and continued to do so after taking on rank in the Holy Church. Throughout his time living in Sydney, he has served as one of the Deacons to the Cathedral with commitment and diligence to all of its services, in addition to leading adult bible studies for parishioners. Rev Dn Riyadh is a registered architect and builder. After the ordination, Dn Riyadh will be …