California

The National Executive Committee of ACEYA-USA meets in Chicago, Illinois

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Assyrian Church of the East Youth Association of the United States of America met from Friday, January 14 to Sunday, January 16, 2022, at the Cathedral Church of Saint George the Martyr in Chicago, Illinois. The NEC is a joint ministry between the three episcopal sees of the United States commissioned by their respective hierarchs to be a governing body of the Youth Association in the United States.  The committee oversees the planning of the annual national youth conference and works towards the advancement of youth ministry within the country in various capacities. The NEC consists of four executives and three representatives from each United States diocese, the membership of the committee is as follows: Very Rev. Fr. and Chorbishop Gewargis-Bet Rasho of Tarzana, CA – President; Rev. Fr. Genard Lazar of Turlock, CA – Vice President; Rev. Dcn. Andrew Aziz of Gilbert, AZ – Secretary; Mr. Wilson Yonan of Chicago, IL – Treasurer; Rev. Dcn. Allen Youssefi of San Jose, CA – California Diocesan Representative; Rev. Dcn. Elbron Odisho of Glenview, IL – Eastern USA Diocesan Representative; Rev. Dcn. Peter Azzo of Chicago, IL – Eastern USA Diocesan Representative; Rev. Dcn. Zaya …

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BISHOPS OF THE DIOCESES OF THE UNITED STATES MEET AHEAD OF NATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE

The bishops of the Assyrian Church of the East in the United States meet recently ahead of the 33rd annual National Youth Conference. Attending the meeting were: His Grace Mar Aprim Khamis, Bishop of the Diocese of the Western USA; His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of the Diocese of California and Secretary of the Holy Synod; and His Grace Mar Paulus Benjamin, Bishop of the Diocese of the Eastern USA. ​The three bishops held their meeting on Wednesday, July 30th, at the premises of the St. Mary’s Assyrian Church of the East in Los Angeles, California. The bishops discussed many topics effecting the life of the Church in the United States. Some of the matters discussed were: 1) the National Executive Committee of the Assyrian Church of the East Youth Association (ACEYA); 2) the Constitution of the ACEYA; 3) the importance of transmitting the faith of the holy Church to our youth, particularly the promotion and use of the Assyrian language among our younger generation; 4) currents events in the life of the Church in the States; 5) matters relating to the clergy (priests and deacons) serving the parishes of the US. ​Some of the more notable outcomes of …

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BISHOP OF CALIFORNIA REPRESENTS ASSYRIAN CHURCH OF THE EAST AT SIXTH PRO ORIENTE COLLOQUIUM SYRIACUM

​His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California and Secretary of the Holy Synod, represented the Assyrian Church of the East at the Sixth Colloquium Syriacum, held under the aegis of the Pro Oriente Ecumenical Foundation at the Palottihaus in Vienna, from November 25-28, 2019. ​The theme of this year’s Colloquium Syriacum was titled: “With Hope Towards the Future: Living Together and Common Witness of the Syriac Tradition.” His Grace presented a paper on Wednesday, November 27, 2019, with the title: “The Common Challenges and Opportunities of the Syriac Churches in North America, with Special Attention to the Assyrian Church of the East.” The bishop’s presentation outlined the history of the Assyrian Church’s role and activities in the ecumenical movement since 1964, and traced the immigration of the Assyrian faithful to North America—with special attention to the United States—from the countries of the Middle East. The pastoral, ecclesiastical and ethnic challenges of the faithful as a result of being transplanted to the diaspora were studied and presented in an in-depth manner, followed by discussions and questions from the attendees on the same theme. ​On Tuesday evening, November 26, 2019, His Grace partook in a public panel discussion sponsored by Pro …

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32nd Annual Youth Conference – Central Valley, California

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity -Psalm 133:1 The 32nd National Youth Conference of the Assyrian Church of the East Youth Association of America (ACEYA) took place in the Diocese of California, hosted by the Central Valley Parishes of Mar Zaia Cathedral, Mar Gewargis Parish, and Mar Addai Parish, from 10 July to 15 July 2019. This youth conference had over 400 attendees from the three dioceses in the United States of America.  In particular, this youth conference was blessed with the presence of His Holiness Mar Gewargis III Sliwa, Catholicos-Patriarch.  It is noteworthy to mention that His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California and Secretary of the Holy Synod; His Grace Mar Yosip Sargis, Bishop Emeritus; His Grace Mar Aprim Khamis, Bishop of Western USA and His Grace Mar Paulus Benjamin, Bishop of the Eastern USA were also present along with many priests and deacons. This year’s youth conference’s theme was “Keys to the Kingdom” (c.f. Matthew 13:11) which expounded upon the sacraments of the Holy Church.  This youth conference’s lectures included: -Rev’d Chorbishop Gewargis Toma of Glenview, Illinois on the Holy Mysteries of Priesthood and Absolution; -Rev’d Chorbishop Gewargis Bet-Rasho and Rev’d …

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Bishops Mar Awa Royel and Mar Paulus Benjamin attend the 66th annual National Prayer Breakfast

His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California and the Secretary of the Holy Synod, along with His Grace Mar Paulus Benjamin, Bishop of the Eastern United States, attended the 66th annual National Prayer Breakfast in the nation’s capital on February 8, 2018.  Initiated in 1953, the National Prayer Breakfast allows for government officials and religious leaders to converse and establish professional relationships while bringing glory to the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The gathering was attended by the President of the United States, Mr. Donald J. Trump, along with approximately 3,500 other attendees including members of congress, various state officials, and religious leaders from all four corners of the earth.

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Presbyteral Ordination in the Diocese of California

On September 13, 2017, The Feast of the Holy Cross, His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California elevated Rev. Deacon John Piro to the ecclesiastical rank of presbyter at Mar Zaia Cathedral in Modesto, California.  Rev. Fr. John will serve as an assistant priest at Mar Addai Parish in Turlock, California.  Following the ordination, His Grace Mar Youhannan Yousip, Auxiliary Bishop of India, celebrated the Holy Mysteries and there was a fellowship meal in the Church Hall. Video of Rev. Fr. John’s Ordination Biography of Rev. Qashisha John Badal Piro Reverend Qashisha John Badal Piro was born on February 7, 1973 in the city of Turlock, CA. to his father Reverend Cor-Bishop Badal S. Piro, and Bereshwa Piro.  He is the youngest of 7 children.  He began his ecclesiastical education in the Assyrian Church of the East in both Syriac language and liturgical service at the hands of his father beginning at the age of five years.  This was instrumental in building a strong foundation in the Apostolic faith of the Church of the East, which is evident to this day. At the age of 12 years, he was ordained a hypodyakhna (subdeacon) for Mar Addai Parish and served …

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Clergy of the Diocese of California Receive Master’s Degree in Theology and Philosophy

Two clergy of the Diocese of California have recently completed their graduate theological studies and have been awarded Master’s degrees from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, at Berkeley, California. These clergy are the following: Rev. Fr. Ephraim Alkhas Fr. Ephraim Alkhas completed a Masters of Arts in Philosophy as well as a Master of Arts in Theology from the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, CA. He is a priest in the Diocese of California serving as the sole dedicated servant in the Commission on Inter-Church Relations and Educational Development (CIRED). Fr Ephraim’s thesis, which was applied towards both degrees, is titled: Philosophical Terms and Anthropology in the Christology of Mar Babai the Great and Saint Maximus the Confessor. This thesis studied how philosophical language was used in Greek (by Maximus the Confessor) and in Syriac (by Mar Babai the Great) to describe the person of Jesus Christ as both fully God and fully man. Today, Fr Ephraim continues serving CIRED and in the Diocese of California. He is also in his second year of graduate studies at the University of California Berkeley’s Department of History. Primarily concerned with how canon law functioned in the creation of …

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Assyrian Delegation Attends Conference on Religious Freedom in Washington, D.C.

At the invitation of the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, and with the express blessing of His Holiness Mar Gewargis III, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, a delegation of the Assyrian Church attended the Conference: “Threats to Religious and Ethnic Minorities under the Islamic State,” on July 28, 2016. The conference was co-sponsored by the US Department of State’s Office of International Religious Freedom and the Georgetown University in Washington. The following day, a closed-session meeting took place at the State Department, with many diplomats and parliament representatives present from numerous countries. The Assyrian delegation, consisting of His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California and Secretary of the Holy Synod, along with the Very Rev. Archdeacon William Toma of the Diocese of Eastern USA, took part in the public session of the conference held under the auspices of the Berkley Center’s ‘Religious Freedom Project.’ The conference was attended by representatives of the various religious and ethnic minority entities in Iraq and Syria. The US Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, David Saperstein, addressed all those in attendance. Also addressing the body was Knox Thames, the Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and …

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SECRETARY OF THE HOLY SYNOD MEETS WITH SYNOD SECRETARY OF THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH

On Saturday, May 28, 2016, His Grace Bishop Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California and Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East paid a fraternal visit to His Grace Anba Raphael, the Bishop of Central Cairo and the General Secretary of the Coptic Orthodox Church, at the St. Antonios Coptic Orthodox Church in Hayward, California at 12:30 pm. Bishop Mar Awa was attended by the Very Rev. Nenos Michael, Archdeacon of the Diocese of California, and the Rev. Fr. Genard Lazar, parish priest of St. Mar Zaia Cathedral and secretary to the Bishop. The Assyrian clergy were received at the end of Bishop Raphael’s Holy Liturgy and spiritual lecture to the worshipping congregation at the Coptic parish by the Rev. Fr. Bishoy Ibrahim, parish priest of the Coptic Church in Hayward.   His Grace Mar Awa apprised His Grace Anba Raphael of the many attempts of the late His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV to communicate with His Holiness Patriarch Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria, and a dossier of documents was given to the Coptic Synod Secretary. A very warm and fraternal exchange concerning the faith and beliefs of the Assyrian Church of the East …

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His grace bishop Mar Awa Royel receives the Assyrian national council of Stanislaus.

On the evening of Sunday, April 3, 2016, His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California and the Secretary of the Holy Synod, received at the episcopal residence the president and members of the Assyrian National Council of Stanislaus, Stanislaus County, California. Assisting His Grace at the meeting was the Reverend Cor-bishop Auchana Kanoun. ​The president of the ANCS, Mr. Youbert Valadio, expressed his thanks to the bishop for the reception and outlined in detail the upcoming program of the Council to aid the Assyrians living in the greater Stanislaus County area. The Council was formed in the early 2000’s in order to assist Assyrians living in the area with various needs, which include help with completing the citizenship process, filing governmental agencies’ applications, translations, etc. The new committee, elected for a four-year term, further noted their plans for the future to better serve the Assyrian community, addressing basic needs of the elderly and immigrants. As the ANCS is formed from among various Assyrian denominations and organization, the president and his committee sought the Assyrian Church of the East’s support and help in fulfilling their mission to the community. His Grace indicated the Church’s willingness and readiness to assist and …

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