Assyrian Church News Official News Site of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East
His Grace Mar Emmanuel Joseph, Bishop of Canada, has been warmly received by Sydney faithful while presenting a lecture titled The Assyrian Language, during a special event organised by the local Youth Association.
The lecture, held on the evening of 3 September at Edessa Reception Centre, was attended by Rev. Moshe Barkho, Rev. Younan Dawod, parish priest of St. George Mission, Rev. John Kushaba, parish priest of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish and Rev. Narsai Youkhanis, Youth Chaplain of the Assyrian Schools.
His Grace, who accompanied His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV Catholicos Patriarch on a sojourn to Australia, spoke on the importance of the Assyrian language and its relation to the Assyrian Church of the East.
His Grace said the language used during church services is very similar to our daily spoken language. He went through a specific prayer showing how the language is easily understandable when broken down and read slowly.
Following the very spiritually and historically informative lecture, His Grace asked for questions from the audience.
Faithful asked His Grace his view on the problem of the Assyrian language possibly not being as extensively understood in future generations. His Grace simply answered and summarised by stating that the Assyrian language is a benefit to our nation. Every language learned is a bonus; and how much more of a bonus is it if that language is the language of our forefathers that established the church in this very language, asked His Grace.
Future sited plans include an online dictionary where the establishment of easily accessibly Assyrian grammar will help to preserve the mother tongue.
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