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

The Assyrian Church of the East Children’s Association (ACECA) hosted its fourth annual summer program, from Monday 11th January to Friday 15th January 2021 at St Hurmizd’s Assyrian Primary School, Greenfield Park. The week long program, themed “Rocky Railway” took the children on mountains of fun, a faith-filled adventure where children discovered how trusting Jesus pulls them through life’s ups and downs. Each day 250 children were lead into spiritual lessons with 50 of ACECA’s most dedicated and hardworking teachers and volunteers. Through station rotations: imagination station, Loco Motion Games, KidVid cinema, and Wild Bible Adventures, the children experienced how to trust our Lord in every situation. The event organisers ensured a COVID Safety Plan was in place protecting the health of the children and volunteers throughout the program. See below link for a video compilation of the event: https://fb.watch/356clydPfV/

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