Priests and Deacons Ordained in Sarsink, Northern Iraq

His Grace Mar Iskhaq Yosip, Bishop of Northern Iraq and Russia has raised two young Deacons to the Holy Priesthood and ordained two faithful to the Holy Diaconate.

The ordination was held on 19 February 2012 at St. Matthew Church in the village of Sarsink in the Sapna region of Northern Iraq. St. Matthew Church was originally constructed in 1922 and rebuilt in 1955.

Ordained to the Priesthood were Deacons Petros Younan Ishaq and Remon Lazar Shlimon (a graduate of Baghdad’s Pontifical Babel College for Philosophy and Theology).

The young men ordained to the Holy Diaconate were Caesar David Youkhana and Ashor Youel Gewargis.

Assisting His Grace were Rev. Youkhana Yosip and Rev. Shlimon Esho (presently teaching the Syriac language at the Seminary of the Assyrian Church of the East in Duhok, Northern Iraq). Also present were numerous priests and deacons of the Assyrian Church of the East and sister churches throughout Northern Iraq.

It is noteworthy that the village of Sarsink was home to the renowned Assyrian priest and scholar, the late Rev. Odisho Esho who founded the first private elementary school in the village in 1928. The late Rev. Odisho, noted for his exemplary relations with both the Iraqi and British authorities in the country, was visited by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1957 while receiving medical treatment in London (photo below).

[nggallery id=360] [nggallery id=359]