Assyrian Church News Official News Site of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East
The Holy Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has been celebrated across the world in dioceses and parishes of the Assyrian Church of the East.
A snapshot of Easter services around the world:
Illinois, Diocese of Eastern USA
Holy Week services were held in the five parishes of the Assyrian Church of the East in Illinois; St. George Cathedral (Chicago), St. Sargis Church (Chicago), St. Mary Church (Roselle), St. Andrew Church (Glenview) and St. John Church (Chicago).
His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV Catholicos Patriarch offered the morning Holy Qurbana in the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George, with His Holiness bestowing blessings of peace and joy onto faithful.
Services were also held in parishes throughout Michigan, New York and Connecticut.
[nggallery id=370]Iraq and the Middle East
Easter services were held in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. The Holy Qurbana was consecrated in numerous churches in Iraq, Iran, Syria and Lebanon.
In particular Reverend Gewargis Yosip offered the Holy Qurbana to faithful in Kirkuk, Iraq on the last day of the Great Fast, 7 April 2012.
[nggallery id=373]Sydney, Australia
Parishioners in the Metropolitan See of Sydney celebrated Holy Week across four parishes: St. Hurmizd Cathedral, St. Mary Church, St. George Parish and Ss. Peter and Paul Parish.
The week began with Palm Sunday, where thousands of faithful gathered in churches to remember the triumphant entrance of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
At St. Hurmizd Cathedral, His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia AM consecrated the Holy Qurbana with the service including the procession around the grounds of the church after the reading of the Holy Gospel.
The service of the Passover was held on the following Thursday morning, while the washing of the disciple’s feet took place later that night, led by His Beatitude Mar Meelis in St. Hurmizd Cathedral.
Ss. Peter and Paul Parish, Sydney’s English-language ministry, also held the washing of the disciple’s feet, led by Reverend John Kushaba at the Assyrian Australian Social Centre.
The next morning, priests, deacons and families of deceased held the service of the singing of madrasheh (or dirge; hymns for the deceased) at Pinegrove and Rockwood cemeteries.
Afterwards, the prayer service was held at all churches. His Beatitude offered prayers at St. Hurmizd Cathedral, where the Holy Cross was covered in black cloth awaiting for the Great Saturday (Shabta d’nohra).
On the final day of Holy Week and the Great Lent, the prayers and offering of the Holy Qurbana took place at all churches at 8PM and the Holy Qurbana at 10PM. His Beatitude led services for thousands of faithful at St. Hurmizd Cathedral.
At St. Mary Church, the Holy Qurbana was offered by Reverend Gewargis Atto assisted by Reverend Ninos Elya.
Reverend Younan Dawood offered the Holy Qurbana at St. George Mission in Matraville and Reverend John Kushaba led services at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in the Assyrian Australian Social Centre.
The Holy Qurbana was once again offered in the morning at St. Hurmizd Cathedral by Chor-Bishop Ashoor Lazar and at St. Mary Church by Reverend Younan Dawood.
According to the Church’s ecclesiastical calender, the Monday of the Good Robber (Gayasa) was also held where the service was offered by Reverend Moshe Barkho at St. Hurmizd Cathedral, Reverend Gewargis Atto at St. Mary Church, and Reverend John Kushaba at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in St. John’s Park High School.
Melbourne, Australia
Easter services in Melbourne included three midnight services held at St. George Church and Ishtar Reception Center (where the Eucharistic Liturgy was consecrated in the Assyrian and English languages in separate halls). Easter morning services were also held at St. George Church.
[nggallery id=371]California, Diocese of California
Holy Week services were held in the five parishes of the Assyrian Church of the East in California; St. Zaia Cathedral (Modesto), St. Thomas Church (Seattle, WA), St. Addai Church (Turlock), St. Narsai Church (San Francisco), Mar Yosip Khnanisho Church (San Jose) and St. George Church (Ceres).
Services were also held at other Californian parishes falling under the Diocese of Western USA including at the newly purchased St. Hurmizd Church in Spring Valley, California where the Holy Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was celebrated by parish priest, Reverend Youkhana.
[nggallery id=375]Europe
Easter services were held in widely dispersed parishes and missions throughout Europe including in Sweden (headquarters of the Diocese of Europe), Denmark, England, Germany, Holland, France, Belgium, Austria, Finland, Norway and Greece.
In Nordrhein-Westfalen, Borken, Germany, the Holy Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was led by Reverend Dr Patros Patros.
[nggallery id=372]Vienna, Austria
[nggallery id=374]Arizona, Western USA
St. Peter Parish in Arizona, USA has commemorated Holy Week with a traditional vigil (shaharta) on the Friday of Passion and the offering of the Holy Qurbana on Easter Sunday morning.
“The hymns and church lyrics were very organized, and the faithful enjoyed them greatly. We had huge throng attend,” said a committee member.
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