Syriac Orthodox Church

For other uses, seeJacobite.

"Syrian Orthodox" redirects here. For other uses, seeSyrian Orthodox (disambiguation).

Syriac Orthodox Church
Classical Syriac:ܥܺܕܬܳܐ ܣܽܘ̣ܪܝܳܝܬܳܐ ܗܰܝܡܳܢܽܘܬܳܐ ܬܪܺܝܨܰܬ ܫܽܘ̣ܒ̣ܚܳܐ
Cathedral of Saint George, Damascus,Syria
Type	Antiochian
Classification	Eastern Christian
Orientation	Oriental Orthodox
Scripture	Peshitta
Theology	Miaphysitism
Polity	Episcopal
Structure	Communion
Patriarch	Ignatius Aphrem IIPatriarch
Catholicate of India	Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
Associations	World Council of Churches
Region	Middle East, India, anddiaspora
Language	Classical Syriac
Liturgy	West Syriac:Liturgy of Saint James
Headquarters	Cathedral of Saint George,Damascus,Syria (since 1959)
Origin	1st century* Antioch,Roman Empire
Independence	512 A.D.
Branched from	Church of Antioch
Members	Approximately 1.4—1.7 million (2015, including India)
Aid organization	EPDC St. Ephrem Patriarchal Development Committee
Other name(s)	Arabic:الكنيسة السريانية الأرثوذكسية Malayalam:സുറിയാനി ഓർത്തഡോക്സ് സഭ,romanized:Suriyāni ōrtḥdōx Sabḥa
Official website	Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate
Digital Library	Department of Syriac Studies
*Origin is according toSacred tradition. West Syriac CrossUnicode(U+2670):♰

TheSyriac Orthodox Church(Classical Syriac:ܥܺܕܬܳܐ ܣܽܘܪܝܳܝܬܳܐ ܬܪܺܝܨܰܬ݂ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ,romanized:ʿIdto Sūryoyto Trīṣath Shubḥo);also known asWest Syriac ChurchorWest Syrian Church,officially known as theSyriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East,and informally as theJacobite Church,is anOriental Orthodoxchurchthat branched from theChurch of Antioch.ThebishopofAntioch,known as thepatriarch,heads the church and possessesapostolic successionthroughSaint Peter(Classical Syriac:ܫܡܥܘܢ ܟܐܦܐ,romanized:Šemʿōn Kēp̄ā), according tosacred tradition.The church upholdsMiaphysitedoctrine inChristology,and employs theLiturgy of Saint James,associated withJames the Just(also calledJames the LessandJames, son of Alphaeus).Classical Syriacis the official andliturgical languageof the church.

The church gained its hierarchical distinctiveness in 512, when pro-ChalcedonianpatriarchFlavian II of Antiochwas deposed byByzantineemperorAnastasius I Dicorus,and a synod was held atLaodicea in Syriain order to choose his successor,a prominentMiaphysitetheologianSeverus the Great(d. 538).His later deposition (in 518) was not recognized by the Miaphisite party, and thus a distinctive (autocephalous) Miaphysite patriarchate was established, headed by Severus and his successors. During the sixth century, Miaphysite hierarchical structure in the region was further straightened byJacob Baradaeus(d. 578),while the pro-Chalcedonian faction would form to become theGreek Orthodox Church of Antioch(part of the widerEastern Orthodox Church) and theMaronite church(anEastern Catholicchurch).

In 1662, the vacant SyriacPatriarchate of Antiochwas filled by individuals who aligned themselves with theCatholic Church.Andrew Akijanwas elected in that year, and was succeeded by another Catholic inGregory Peter VI Shahbaddin.The non-Catholic Syriac party elected the rival Abdulmasih I, Shahbaddin's uncle, as a competing patriarch. Upon Shahbaddin's death in 1702, the Catholic line died out for several decades until the Holy Synod in 1782 electedMichael III Jarweh,who again aligned the Syriacs with the pope. Following a period of violence and intrigue, the non-Catholic party was again recognized with their own patriarch and the Catholic line continued independently as theSyriac Catholic Church).

Mor Hananyo Monasterywas the headquarters of the church fromc. 1160until 1932.The patriarchate was transferred toHomsdue to theSayfogenocide and the effects ofWorld War I.The current see of the church is theCathedral of Saint George,Bab Tuma,Damascus,Syria, since 1959.Since 2014,Ignatius Aphrem IIis the current Patriarch of Antioch. The church hasarchdiocesesand patriarchal vicariates incountries covering six continents.Being an active member of theWorld Council of Churches,the church participates in variousecumenical dialogueswith other churches.

Name and identity

See also:Terms for Syriac ChristiansandChristianity in Syria

Interior of St. Stephen Church,Gütersloh.

Syriac-speakingChristianshave referred to themselves as "Ārāmāyē/Āṯūrāyē/Sūryāyē"in native Aramaic terms based on their ethnic identity.In most languages besides English, a unique name has long been used to distinguish the church from the polity ofSyria.InArabic(the official language of Syria), the church is known as the "Kenissa Suryaniya" as the term "Suryani"identifies the Syriac language and people.Chalcedoniansreferred to the church as "Jacobite" (afterJacob Baradaeus) since the schism that followed the 451Council of Chalcedon.English-speaking historians identified the church as the "Syrian Church". The English term "Syrian" was used to describe the community of Syriacs in ancientSyria.In the 15th century, the term "Orthodox"(fromGreek:"orthodoxía";"correct opinion ") was used to identify churches that practiced the set of doctrines believed by the early Christians. Since 1922, the term" Syrian "started being used for things named after theSyrian Federation.Hence, in 2000, the Holy Synod ruled that the church be named as "Syriac Orthodox Church" after theSyriac language,the official liturgical language of the church.

The church is notethnicallyexclusive, but two main ethnic groups in the community contest their ethnic identification as "Assyrians"and"Arameans"."Suryoye" is the term used to identify the Syriacs in the diaspora.The Syriac Orthodox identity included auxiliary cultural traditions of theAssyrian EmpireandArameankingdoms.Church traditions crystallized intoethnogenesisthrough the preservation of their stories and customs by the 12th century. Since the 1910s, the identity of Syriac Orthodoxy in theOttoman Empirewas principally religious and linguistic.

In recent works,Assyrian-Americanhistorian Sargon Donabed has pointed out that parishes in the US were originally usingAssyriandesignations in their official English names, also noting that in some cases those designations were later changed toSyrian,and then toSyriac,while several other parishes still continue to useAssyriandesignations.

History

A sixth-century encaustic icon fromSaint Catherine's Monastery,Mount Sinai,Egypt

Syriac Orthodox ChapelofSaints Joseph of ArimatheaandNicodemus,Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

Early history

The church claimsapostolic successionthrough the pre-Chalcedonian Patriarchate of Antioch to theEarly Christiancommunities fromJerusalemled bySaint BarnabasandSaint PaulinAntioch,during theApostolic era,as described in theActs of the Apostles;"The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch"(New Testament,Acts 11:26).Saint Peterwas selected byJesus Christ(New Testament,Matthew 16:18) and is venerated as the first bishop ofAntiochinc. 37 A.D.after theIncident at Antioch.

Saint EvodiuswasBishop of Antiochuntil 66ADand was succeeded bySaint Ignatius of Antioch.The earliest recorded use of the term "Christianity" (Greek:Χριστιανισμός) was byIgnatius of Antioch,in around 100 AD.In A.D 169,Theophilus of Antiochwrote three apologetic tracts to Autolycus.PatriarchBabylas of Antiochwas considered the first saint recorded as having had his remains moved or "translated"for religious purposes—a practice that was to become extremely common in later centuries.Eustathius of AntiochsupportedAthanasius of Alexandriawho opposed the followers of the condemned doctrine ofArius(Arian controversy) at theFirst Council of Nicaea.During the time ofMeletius of Antiochthe church split due to his being deposed forHomoiousianleanings—which became known as theMeletian Schismand saw several groups and several claimants to the See of Antioch.

Patriarchate of Antioch

Further information:List of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch

Given the antiquity of the Bishopric of Antioch and the importance of the Christian community in the city of Antioch, a commercially significant city in the eastern parts of theRoman Empire,theFirst Council of Nicaea(325) recognized the Bishopric as one of main regional primacies in Christendom, with jurisdiction over the administrativeDiocese of the Orient,thus laying the foundation for the creation of the "Patriarchate of Antioch and All of the East".Because of the significance attributed toIgnatius of Antiochin the church, most of the Syriac Orthodox patriarchs since 1293 have used the name of Ignatius in the title of the Patriarch preceding their own Patriarchal name.

Christological controversies that followed theCouncil of Chalcedon(451) resulted in a long struggle for the Patriarchate between those who accepted and those who rejected the council. In 512, pro-Chalcedonian patriarchFlavian II of Antiochwas deposed byEmperor Anastasius I(d. 518), and new patriarchSeverus of Antioch(d. 538) was chosen to succeed him. On 6 November 512, at the synod ofLaodicea in Syria,a prominent miapyhsite theologianSeverus the Greatwas elected, and consecrated on 16 November at theGreat Church of Antioch.In 518, he was exiled from Antioch,by new emperorJustin I(d. 527), who tried to enforce a uniformChalcedonianorthodoxy throughout the empire.Those who belonged to the pro-Chalcedonian party accepted newly appointed patriarchPaul,who took over the see of Antioch. The miaphisite patriarchate was thus forced to move from Antioch withSeverus the Greatwho took refuge inAlexandria.The non-Chalcedonian community was divided between "Severians" (followers of Severus), andaphthartodocetae,and that division remained unresolved until 527.Severians continued to recognize Severus as the legitimate miaphysite Patriarch of Antioch until his death in 538, and then proceeded to follow his successors.

BishopJacob Baradaeus(died 578) is credited for ordaining most of themiaphysitehierarchy while facing heavy persecution in the sixth century. In 544,Jacob BaradeusordainedSergius of Tellacontinuing the non-Chalcedonian succession of patriarchs of theChurch of Antioch.That was done in opposition to the government-backed Patriarchate of Antioch held by the pro-Chalcedonian believers leading to the Syriac Orthodox Church being known popularly as the "Jacobite" Church, while the Chalcedonian believers were known popularly asMelkites—coming from the Syriac word for king (malka), an implication of the Chalcedonian Church's relationship to the Roman Emperor (later emphasised by theMelkite Greek Catholic Church).Because of many historical upheavals and consequent hardships that the Syriac Orthodox Church had to undergo, the patriarchate was transferred to different monasteries inMesopotamiafor centuries.John III of the Sedrewas elected and consecrated Patriarch after the death ofAthanasius I Gammoloin 631 A.D., followed by the fall ofRoman Syriaand theMuslim conquest of the Levant.John and several bishops were summoned beforeEmirUmayr ibn Sad al-AnsariofHimsto engage in open debate regarding Christianity and represent the entire Christian community, including non-Syriac Orthodox communities, such as Greek Orthodox Syrians.The Emir demanded translations of the Gospels intoArabicto confirm John's beliefs, which according to the Chronicle ofMichael the Syrianwas the first translation of the Gospels into Arabic.

Transfer to new locations

In 1166, the patriarchal seat was transferred to theMor Bar Sauma Monasterywhere it remained for most of the twelfth and thirteenth century until the abandonment of the monastery in 1293.Thereafter, the patriarchate resided in theMor Hananyo Monastery(Deir al. Zaʿfarān) in southeasternAnatolianearMardin,where it remained until 1933 and re-established inHoms,Syria, due to the adverse political situation in Turkey. In 1959, the patriarchate was transferred toDamascus.Themother churchand official seat of the Syriac Orthodox Church are now situated inBab Tuma,Damascus,capital of Syria.

Middle Ages

Syriac Orthodox diocesesin the medieval period.

Palestine

Syria

Lebanon and Cyprus

Cilicia

Cappadocia

Amid and Arzun

Commagene

Osrhoene

Mardin and Tur Abdin

Iraq

The 8th century hagiographyLife ofJacob Baradaeusis evidence of a definite denominational and social differentiation between theChalcedoniansandMiaphysites(Syriac Orthodox).The longer hagiography shows that the Syriac Orthodox (called "Syriac Jacobites" in the work:suryoye yaquboye) self-identified with Jacob's story more than those of other saints.Coptic historian and miaphysite bishopSeverus ibn al-Muqaffa(ca. 897) speaks of Jacobite origins, and on the veneration of Jacob Baradaeus. He claimed that unlike the Chalcedonian Christians (who were labeled as "Melkites" ), Miaphysite Jacobites never traded their Orthodoxy to win the favor of the Byzantine emperors, as the Melkites had done (malkois derived from "ruler, king, emperor" ).

In Antioch, after the 11th-century persecutions, the Syriac Orthodox population was almost extinguished. Only one Jacobite church is attested in Antioch in the first half of the 12th century, while a second and third are attested in the second half of the century, perhaps due to refugee influx. Dorothea Weltecke concluded that the Syriac Orthodox population was very low in this period in Antioch and its surroundings.

In the 12th century, several Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs visited Antioch and some established temporary residences.In the 13th century, the Syriac Orthodox hierarchy in Antioch was prepared to accept Latin supervision.InAdana,an anonymous 1137 report speaks of the entire population consisting of Syriac Orthodox.Before the advent of theCrusades,the Syriacs occupied most of the hill country of Jazirah (Upper Mesopotamia).

Early modern period

16th century

Among the preeminent churchmen of the period,Moses of Mardin(fl. 1549–d. 1592), was a diplomat of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Rome in the 16th century.

17th century

St. Mary Church, Diyarbakır.

By the early 1660s, 75% of the 5,000 Syriac Orthodox of Aleppo had converted to Catholicism following the arrival of mendicant missionaries.The Catholic missionaries had sought to place a Catholic Patriarch among the Jacobites and consecrated Andrew Akhijan as the Patriarch of the newly foundedSyriac Catholic Church.ThePropaganda Fideand foreign diplomats pushed for Akhijan to be recognized as the Jacobite Patriarch, and thePortethen consented and warned the Syriac Orthodox that they would be considered an enemy if they did not recognize him.Despite the warning and gifts to priests, frequent conflicts and violent arguments continued between the Catholic and Orthodox Syriacs.Around 1665, manySaint Thomas ChristiansofKerala,India, committed themselves in allegiance to the Syriac Orthodox Church, which established theMalankara Syrian Church.TheMalankara Churchconsolidated underMar Thoma IwelcomedGregorios Abdal Jaleel,who regularised the canonical ordination ofMar Thoma Ias a native democratically elected Bishop of theMalabar Syrian Christians.

Late modern period

In the 19th century, the various Syriac Christian denominations did not view themselves as part of one ethnic group.During theTanzimatreforms (1839–78), the Syriac Orthodox was granted independent status by gaining recognition as their ownmilletin 1873, apart from Armenians and Greeks.

In the late 19th century, the Syriac Orthodox community of the Middle East, primarily from the cities ofAdanaandHarput,began the process of creating theSyriac diaspora,with the United States being one of their first destinations in the 1890s.Later, inWorcester, Massachusetts,the first Syriac Orthodox Church in the United States was built.

Also in the late 1800s, the reformation faction of theSaint Thomas Christiansin India left to form theMar Thoma Syrian Church.

The1895–96 massacresin Turkey affected theArmenianand Syriac Orthodox communities when an estimated 105,000 Christians were killed.By the end of the 19th century, 200,000 Syriac Orthodox Christians remained in the Middle East, most concentrated aroundSaffron Monastery,the Patriarchal Seat.

In 1870, there were 22 Syriac Orthodox settlements in the vicinity ofDiyarbakır.In the 1870–71 Diyarbakırsalnames,there were 1,434 Orthodox Syriacs in that city.On 10 December 1876,Ignatius Peter IVconsecratedGeevarghese Gregorios of Parumalaas metropolitan.Rivalry within the Syriac Orthodox Church in Tur Abdin resulted in many conversions to theSyriac Catholic Church(theUniatebranch).

Genocide (1914–1918)

SayfoMonument at St. Peters & St. Pauls Church,Hallunda.

Further information:Seyfo

The Ottoman authorities killed and deported Orthodox Syriacs, then looted and appropriated their properties.During 1915–16, the number of Orthodox Syriacs in the Diyarbakır province was reduced by 72%, and in the Mardin province by 58%.

Interwar period

In 1924, the patriarchate of the Church was transferred toHomsafterKemal Atatürkexpelled the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch, who took the library of Deir el-Zaferan and settled inDamascus.The Syriac Orthodox villages in Tur Abdin suffered from the 1925–26 Kurdish rebellions and massive flight to Lebanon, northern Iraq and especially Syria ensued.

In the early 1920s, the city ofQamishliwas built mainly by Syriac Orthodox refugees, escaping theSyriac genocide.

1945–2000

In 1959, the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Church was transferred toDamascusin Syria.In the mid-1970s, the estimate of Syriac Orthodox lived in Syria is 82,000.In 1977, the number of Syriac Orthodox followers in diaspora dioceses was: 9,700 in the Diocese of Middle Europe; 10,750 in the Diocese of Sweden and surrounding countries.

On 20 October 1987,Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumalawas declared a saint byIgnatius Zakka I Iwas,Patriarch permitting additions to the diptychs.

Damage to exterior ofSt. Mary Church of the Holy Beltduring theSyrian Civil War.

Leadership

Ignatius Aphrem II,currentPatriarch of Antioch.

Patriarch

The supreme head of the Syriac Orthodox Church is namedPatriarch of Antioch,in reference to his titular pretense to one of the five patriarchates of thePentarchyofByzantineChristianity.Considered the "father of fathers", he must be anordainedbishop. He is the general administrator to HolySynodand supervises the spiritual, administrative, and financial matters of the church. He governs external relations with other churches and signs agreements, treaties, contracts, pastoral encyclicals (bulls),pastoral lettersrelated to the affairs of the church.

Maphrian or Catholicos of India

After the Patriarch, the second highest Rank in the Syriac Orthodox Church is that of the Maphrian or the Catholicos of India. He is important functionary in guiding the church when the patriarchate falls vacant after the death of a Patriarch, overseeing the election of the next Patriarch and leading the ceremony for the ordination of the Patriarch. The Maphrian's see is India and is the head of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church and is subject to the authority of the Patriarch. In joint councils the Maphrian is seated on the right side of the Patriarch and heads the church's regional synod in India with the Patriarch's sanction.

Archbishops and Bishops

The titlebishopcomes from theGreekwordepiskopos,meaning "the one who oversees".A bishop is a spiritual ruler of the church who has different ranks. Then there aremetropolitan bishopsorarchbishops,and under them, there areauxiliary bishops.

Priests

The priest (Kasheesho) is the seventh rank and is the one duly appointed to administer thesacraments.Unlike in theCatholic Church,Syriacdeaconsmay marry beforeordainedas priests; they cannot marry after ordained as priests. There is anhonorary rankamong the priests that areCorepiscoposwho has the privileges of "first among the priests" and is given a chain with a cross and specific vestment decorations. Corepiscopos is the highest rank a married man can be elevated to in the Syriac Orthodox Church. The ranks above the Corepiscopos are unmarried.

Deacons

In the Syriac Orthodox tradition, different ranks among thedeaconsare specifically assigned with particular duties. The six ranks of the diaconate are:

1. 'Ulmoyo(Faithful)
2. Mawdyono(Confessor of faith)
3. Mzamrono(Singer)
4. QuroyoorKorooyo(Reader)
5. Afudyaqno(Sub-deacon)
6. Evangeloyo(High deacon)
7. Masamsono(Full deacon)

Only a full deacon can take thecenserduring theDivine Liturgyto assist the priest. InJacobite Syrian Christian Church,because of the lack of deacons,altar assistantswho do not have a rank of deaconhood may assist the priest.

Historically, in theMalankara Church,the local chief was called asArchdeacon,who was the ecclesiastical authority of theSaint Thomas Christiansin theMalabar regionof India.

Deaconess

An ordaineddeaconessis entitled to enter the sanctuary only for cleaning, lighting the lamps and is limited to giveHoly Communionto women and the children who are under the age of five.She can read scriptures, Holy Gospel in a public gathering. The name of deaconess can also be given to a choirgirl. Deaconess is not ordained as chanter before reaching fifteen years of age. The ministry of the deaconess assists the priest and deacon outside the altar including in the service of baptizing women and anointing them with holychrism.

While this rank exists, it is rarely awarded.

Worship

Bible

PeshittoBible atMor Hananyo Monastery.

Syriac Orthodox churches use thePeshitta(Syriac: simple, common) as its Bible. TheNew Testamentbooks of this Bible are estimated to have been translated from Greek toSyriacbetween the late first century to the early third century AD.TheOld Testamentof the Peshitta was translated fromHebrew,probably in the second century. TheNew Testament of the Peshitta,which originally excluded certain disputed books, had become the standard by the early fifth century, replacing two early Syriac versions of the gospels.

Doctrine

Icon of theVirgin MarybySt. Luke the Evangelist.

The Syriac Orthodox Church theology is based on theNicene Creed.The Syriac Orthodox Church teaches that it is theOne, Holy, Catholic and ApostolicChurch founded byJesus Christin hisGreat Commission,that itsmetropolitansare thesuccessorsof Christ'sApostles,and that thePatriarch is the successortoSaint Peteron whomprimacywas conferred byJesus Christ.The church accepted first three synods held atNicaea(325),Constantinople(381), andEphesus(431), shaping the formulation and early interpretation ofChristian doctrines.The Syriac Orthodox Church is part ofOriental Orthodoxy,a distinctcommunionof churches claiming to continue the patristic and apostolic Christology before theschismfollowing theCouncil of Chalcedonin 451.In terms ofChristology,the Oriental Orthodox (Non-Chalcedonian) understanding is thatChristis "One Nature—the Logos Incarnate, of the full humanity and full divinity". Just as humans areoftheir mothers and fathers and notintheir mothers and fathers, so too is the nature of Christ according to Oriental Orthodoxy. The Chalcedonian understanding is that Christ is "in two natures, full humanity and full divinity". This is the doctrinal difference that separated the Oriental Orthodox from the rest of Christendom. The church believes in the mystery ofIncarnationand venerateVirgin MaryasTheotokosorYoldath Aloho(Meaning: 'Bearer of God').

The Fathers of the Syriac Orthodox Church gave a theological interpretation to the primacy ofSaint Peter.They were fully convinced of the unique office of Peter in the early Christian community.Ephrem,Aphrahat,andMaruthasunequivocally acknowledged the office of Peter. The different orders of liturgies used for sanctification of church buildings, marriages, ordinations etc., reveal that the primacy of Peter is a part of faith of the church. The church does not believe inPapal Primacyas understood by theRoman See,rather,Petrine Primacyaccording to the ancient Syriac tradition.The church uses bothJulian calendarandGregorian calendarbased on their regions and traditions they adapted.

Language

• Syriac language,as the most prominent variant ofAramaic languagein the Christian era, is used by the Syriac Orthodox Church in two basic forms:Classical Syriacis traditionally employed as the main liturgical andliterary language,whileNeo-Aramaic(Neo-Syriac) dialect known asTuroyois spoken as the most common vernacular language.
• Arabichad become the dominant language of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Egypt by the 11th century.Syriac Orthodox clergy wrote in Arabic usingGarshūni,a Syriac script in the 15th century and later adopted the Arabic script.An English missionary in the 1840s noted that the Arabic speech of the Syriacs was intermixed with Syriac vocabulary.They chose Arabic and Muslim-sounding names, while women had Biblical names.
• Greeklanguage was historically used (along with Syriac) in the earliest periods, during and after the separation (5th–6th centuries), but its use gradually declined.
• English: Used Globally along withSyriac.
• Malayalam,Tamil,Kannadaare presently used in India.Suriyani Malayalam,also known as Karshoni or Syriac Malayalam, is a dialect ofMalayalamwritten in a variant form of theSyriac alphabetwhich was popular among theSaint Thomas Christians(also known as Syrian Christians or Nasranis) ofKeralain India.It uses Malayalam grammar, theMaḏnḥāyāor "Eastern" Syriac script with specialorthographicfeatures, and vocabulary from Malayalam and East Syriac. This originated in the South Indian region of theMalabar Coast(modern-day Kerala). Until the 19th century, the script was widely used by Syrian Christians in Kerala.
• Swedish, German, Dutch, Turkish, Spanish, Portuguese are used in diasporas along withSyriac.

Liturgy

Celebration of Mass atSt. John's Church, Stuttgart,Germany.

Theliturgical serviceis calledHoly Quroboin theSyriac languagemeaning "Eucharist".Liturgy of Saint Jamesis celebrated on Sundays and special occasions. The Holy Eucharist consists ofGospelreading,Bible readings,prayers, and songs. The recitation of the Liturgy is performed according to with specific parts chanted by the presider, the lectors, the choir, and the congregated faithful, at certain times in unison. Apart from certain readings, prayers are sung in the form ofchantsandmelodies.Hundreds of melodies remain preserved in the book known asBeth Gazo,the key reference to Syriac Orthodoxchurch music.

In 1983, the French ethnomusicologistChristian Pochéproduced audio recordings of theliturgicalmusic of the Syriac Orthodox Church. In his liner notes for the UNESCO Anthology of Traditional Music, he described the liturgical music of communities inAntioch,Tur ‘Abdin,Urfa,Mardinin modernTurkey,as well as in Aleppo andQamishliin modern Syria.

Prayer

Syriac Orthodox clergy andlaityfollow a regimen of seven prayers a day that are said atfixed prayer times,in accordance withPsalm 119(cf.Shehimo).According to theSyriactradition, an ecclesiastical day starts at sunset and theCanonical hoursare based onWest Syriac Rite:

• Evening orRamshoprayer (Vespers)
• Night prayer orSootoroprayer (Compline)
• Midnight orLilyoprayer (Matins)
• Morning orSaphroprayer (PrimeorLauds,6 a.m.)
• Third Hour ortloth sho`inprayer (Terce,9 a.m.)
• Sixth Hour orsheth sho`inprayer (Sext,noon)
• Ninth Hour ortsha` sho'inprayer (None,3 p.m.)

Sacraments

The seven HolySacramentsof the church are:

• Chrismation(Anointing of Holy Muron)
• Baptism
• Confession
• Holy Communion(Queen of the Sacraments)
• Marriage
• Unction(Anointing of the Sick)
• Ordination

Vestments

Liturgical vestments of clergy.

The clergy of the Syriac Orthodox Church has unique liturgical vestments with their order in the priesthood: thedeacons,the priests, thechorbishops,the bishops, and thepatriarcheach have different vestments.

Bishopsusually wear a black or a red robe with a red belt. They should not wear a red robe in the presence of the patriarch, who wears a red robe. Bishops visiting a diocese outside their jurisdiction also wear black robes in deference to the bishop of the diocese, who alone wears red robes. They carry acrosierstylised with serpents representing thestaff of Mosesduring sacraments.Corepiscoposwear a black or a purple robe with a purple belt. Bishops and corepiscopos have hand-held crosses.

A priest also wears aphiro,or a cap, which he must wear for the public prayers. Monks also wearmasnapso,a hood. Priests also have ceremonial shoes which are calledmsone.Without wearing these shoes, a priest cannot distribute Eucharist to the faithful. Then there is a white robe calledkutinosymbolizing purity.Hamnikoor stole is worn over this white robe. Then he wears agirdlecalledzenoro,andzende,meaning sleeves. If the celebrant is a bishop, he wears aveil-mitreover the masnapso,. A cope calledphaynois worn over these vestments.Batrashil,orpallium,is worn over thephaynoby bishops and corepiscopas wear a half cope over the phayno, likehamnikhoworn by priests.The priest's usual dress is a blackrobe.In India, due to the hot weather, priests usually wear white robes except during prayers in the church, when they wear a black robe over the white one.Deaconswear a phiro, white kutino(robe) and of rank Quroyo and higher wear an uroro 'stole' in various shapes according to their rank. Thedeaconesswears a stole (uroro) hanging down from the shoulder in the manner of an archdeacon.

Global presence

Demography

• 
  St. Matthew Monastery, Nineveh,Iraq
• 
  Monastery of Saint Mark, Jerusalem
• 
  Mor Gabriel Monastery,Midyat,Turkey
• 
  St. Awgin Monastery, Nusaybin,Turkey
• 
  St. George's Monastery, Malekurish
• 
  St. Ignatius Monastery, Manjinikkara
• 
  Mor Hananyo Monastery

The Patriarchate was initially established inAntioch(present-day Syria, Turkey, and Iraq), due to thepersecutionsbyRomansfollowed byMuslim Arabs,the Patriarchate was seated inMor Hananyo Monastery,Mardin,in theOttoman Empire(1160–1933); followingHoms(1933–1959); andDamascus,Syria, since 1959. Historically, the followers of the church are mainly ethnicAssyrians/Syriacswho comprise theindigenouspre-Arab populations of modern Syria, Iraq and southeastern Turkey. Adiasporahas also spread from theLevant,Iraq, and Turkey throughout the world, notably in Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Austria, France, United States, Canada,Guatemala,Argentina, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand.

The church's members are divided into 26Archdioceses,and 13 PatriarchalVicariates.

It is estimated that the church has 600,000 Syriac adherents, in addition to 2 million members of theJacobite Syrian Christian Churchandtheir own ethnic diasporain India.Additionally, there is also a large Syriac community among Mayan converts inGuatemalaand South America numbering up to 1.5 million.According to scholar James Minahan around 26% of theAssyrian peoplebelong to the Syriac Orthodox Church.

The number of Syriacs in Turkey is rising, due to refugees from Syria and Iraq fleeing ISIS, as well as Syriacs from the Diaspora who fled the region during theTurkey-PKK conflict(since 1978) returning and rebuilding their homes. The village ofKafrowas populated by Syriacs from Germany and Switzerland.

In theSyriac diaspora,there are approximately 80,000 members in the United States, 80,000 in Sweden, 100,000 in Germany, 15,000 in the Netherlands, 200,000 members in Brazil, Switzerland, and Austria.

Jurisdiction of the patriarchate

Main article:Dioceses of the Syriac Orthodox Church

The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch originally covered the whole region of the Middle East and India. In recent centuries, its parishioners started to emigrate to other countries over the world. Today, the Syriac Orthodox Church has several archdioceses and patriarchal vicariates (exarchates) in many countries covering six continents.

• Patron: ThePatriarch of Antiochand All the East, the Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox ChurchIgnatius Aphrem II.
• Patriarchal Seat:Cathedral of Saint George,Damascus, Syria
• Headquarters and patriarchal office:Damascus

Americas

St. Mark's Cathedral, Paramus,New Jersey.

The presence of the Syrian Orthodox faithful in America dates back to the late 19th century.

North America

• Patriarchal Vicariate of Eastern United States
• Patriarchal Vicariate of Western United States
• Malankara Archdiocese of North America
• Patriarchal Vicariate of Canada.

Central America

In theGuatemalaregion, aCharismatic movementemerged in 2003 was excommunicated in 2006 by theRoman Catholic Churchlater joined the church in 2013. Members of this archdiocese areMayanin origin and live in rural areas, and display charismatic-type practices.

• Archdiocese ofCentral America,theCaribbean IslandsandVenezuela

South America

• Patriarchal Vicariate of Argentina
• Patriarchal Vicariate of Brazil

Eurasia

Middle East regions

• Syria
• Lebanon
• Holy Land
• Iraq
• Turkey
• UAE

Syriac Orthodox Church in theMiddle Eastand the diaspora, numbering between 150,000 and 200,000 people in their indigenous area of habitation in Syria, Iraq, and Turkey according to estimations. The community formed and developed in the Middle Ages. The Syriac Orthodox Christians of the Middle East speak Aramaic. Archbishoprics in the Middle East include regions ofJazirah,Euphrates,Aleppo,Homs,Hama,Baghdad,Basrah,Diyarbakır,Mosul,Kirkuk,Kurdistan,Mount Lebanon,Beirut,Istanbul,AnkaraandAdiyaman,Israel,Palestine,Jordan.

• 
  Saint Mary Church of the Holy Belt
• 
  St. Sharbel ChurchMidyat
• 
  St. Mary's Church,Bethlehem
• 
  St. Mary's Cathedral, Manarcad
• 
  TombofSt. Baselios Yeldo

Patriarchal Vicariates in the Middle East includesDamascus,Mardin,Turabdin,Zahle,UAEand theArab States of the Persian Gulf.

India

Jacobite Syrian Christian Church

Main article:Jacobite Syrian Christian Church

TheJacobite Syrian Christian Church,one of the variousSaint Thomas Christianchurches in India, is an integral part of the Syriac Orthodox Church, with thePatriarch of Antiochas its supreme head. The local head of the church in Malankara (Kerala) isBaselios Thomas I,ordained by PatriarchIgnatius Zakka I Iwasin 2002 and accountable to thePatriarch of Antioch.The headquarters of the church in India is atPuthencruznear Ernakulam in the state ofKeralainSouth India.Simhasana Churches and Honavar Mission is under the direct control of Patriarch. Historically, theSt. Thomas Christianswere part of theChurch of the East,based inPersiawhich was under thePatriarch of AntiochuntilCouncil of Seleucia-Ctesiphon(410 AD.) and reunited withSyriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antiochsincec.1652.Syriac monksMar Sabor and Mar Protharrived at Malankara between the eighth and ninth centuries from Persia.They established churches inQuilon,Kadamattom,Kayamkulam,Udayamperoor,andAkaparambu.

TheMalankara Marthoma Syrian Churchis an independent reformed church under the jurisdiction ofMarthoma Metropolitanand its first Reforming MetropolitanMathews Athanasiuswas ordained by Ignatius Elias II in 1842.Maphrianatewas re-established in Malankara in 1912 byIgnatius Abded Mshiho IIby the consecration ofPaulose Ias firstCatholicos.Malankara Orthodox Syrian Churchaccepts the Patriarch of Antioch only as its spiritual Father as stated by theconstitution of 1934.

Altar of St.Mary's Knanaya Syriac Church Kottayam.

Knanaya Archdiocese

TheKnanayaSyriac Orthodox Church is an archdiocese under the guidance and direction of ArchbishopSeverious Kuriakosewith the patriarch as its spiritual head. They are the followers of the Syrian merchant Knāy Thoma (Thomas of Cana) in the fourth or eighth century, while another legend traces their origin toJewsin theMiddle East.

Head Office ofThe Evangelistic Association Of The East.

Evangelistic Association of the East

Main article:Evangelistic Association Of The East

E.A.E Arch Dioceseis the missionary association of the Syriac Orthodox Church founded in 1924 by Geevarghese Athunkal Cor-Episcopa atPerumbavoor.This archdiocese is under the direct control of the patriarch under the guidance ofChrysostomos Markose,It is an organization with churches, educational institutions, orphanages, old age homes, convents, publications, mission centers, gospel teams, care missions, and a missionary training institute. It is registered in 1949 under theIndian Societies Registration Act.XXI of 1860 (Reg. No. S.8/1949ESTD 1924).

Europe

Earlier in the 20th century many Syrian Orthodox immigrated to Western Europe, located in the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and other countries for economic and political reasons.Dayro d-Mor Ephrem in the Netherlands is the first Syriac Orthodox monastery in Europe established in 1981.Dayro d-Mor Awgen,Arth,Switzerland and Dayro d-Mor Ya`qub d-Sarug,Warburg,Germany are the othermonasterieslocated in Europe.

• 
  St. Ephrem ChurchVienna,Austria
• 
  St. Thomas Cathedral, Acton,London,England
• 
  St. Jacob of Sarug MonasteryWarburg,Germany
• 
  Church of Our Lady, Amsterdam,Netherlands
• 
  St. Avgin Monastery,Arth,Switzerland
• 
  St. Aphrem Cathedral, Södertälje,Sweden

Patriarchal Vicariates:

• Belgium, France andLuxembourg
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland and Austria
• United Kingdom

Oceania

St. George Church,Melbourne

St. Aphrem Church,Victoria

AustraliaandNew Zealand

• Patriarchal Vicariate of Australia and New Zealand under Archbishop Malatius Malki Malki.

Institutions

The church has various seminaries, colleges, and other institutions.PatriarchAphrem I Barsoumestablished St. Aphrem's Clerical School in 1934 inZahlé.In 1946, the school was moved toMosul,where it provided the church with a selection of graduates, the first among them being PatriarchIgnatius Zakka I Iwasand many other church leaders. In 1990, the Order of St. Jacob Baradaeus was established for nuns. Seminaries have been instituted in Sweden and inSalzburgfor the study of Syriac theology, history, language, and culture. Happy Child House project started in 2019 provideschildcareservices inDamascus,Syria. The church has an international Christian education center for religious education. The Antioch Syrian University was established on 8 September 2018 inMaarat Saidnaya,near Damascus. The university is offering engineering, management and economics courses.

Ecumenical relations

The Syriac Orthodox Church is active inecumenicaldialogues with various churches,including theCatholic Church,Eastern Orthodox Churches,Anglican Communion,Syriac Church of the East,and otherChristian denominations.The Church is an active member of theWorld Council of Churchessince 1960 and PatriarchIgnatius Zakka I Iwaswas one of the former presidents ofWCC.It has also been involved in theMiddle East Council of Churchessince 1974. There are common Christological and pastoral agreements with the Catholic Church by the 20th century as the Chalcedonian schism was not seen with the same relevance, and from several meetings between the authorities of theCatholic Churchand the Oriental Orthodoxy, reconciling declarations emerged in the common statements of the PatriarchIgnatius Jacob IIIand PopePaul VIin 1971, PatriarchIgnatius Zakka I Iwasand PopeJohn Paul IIin 1984:

The confusions and schisms that occurred between their Churches in the later centuries, they realise today, in no way affect or touch the substance of their faith, since these arose only because of differences in terminology and culture and in the various formulae adopted by different theological schools to express the same matter. Accordingly, we find today no real basis for the sad divisions and schisms that subsequently arose between us concerning the doctrine of Incarnation. In words and life, we confess the true doctrine concerning Christ our Lord, notwithstanding the differences in interpretation of such a doctrine which arose at the time of the Council of Chalcedon.

The precise differences in theology that caused the Chalcedonian controversy is said to have arisen "only because of differences in terminology and culture and in the various formulae adopted by different theological schools to express the same matter",according to a common declaration statement between PatriarchIgnatius Jacob IIIand PopePaul VIon Wednesday 27 October 1971. In 2015,Pope Francisaddressed the Syriac Orthodox Church as "a Church of Martyrs"welcoming the visit ofIgnatius Aphrem IItoHoly See.In 2015,Ignatius Aphrem IIvisitedPatriarch Kirill of Moscowof theRussian Orthodox Churchand discussed prospects of bilateral and theological dialogue existing since the late 1980s. Since 1998, representatives of SOC, together with representatives of otherOriental Orthodox Churches,participate in theEcumenical dialogue,and also in various forms of theInterfaith dialogue.

Communities

• Syrians/Syriacsoriginating fromMiddle East
  • Turabdinin Turkey, formerSyriac cultural heartland
    • Saffron Monastery,important site in Turabdin
• St. Thomas Christiansin India
  • Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church
    • Catholicos of India(Maphrian)
• Södertälje,Swedish town with many Syriac people and churches
• Guatemalans(recent convert activity)

See also

• Dioceses of the Syriac Orthodox Church
• List of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch
• Naheere
• The Ascetical Homilies of Isaac the Syrian
• Oriental Orthodoxy
  • Miaphysitism,Cyril of Alexandria's Christology
  • Patriarchate of Alexandria
• Syriac Christianity
  • Chaldean Catholic Church
  • Church of the East
  • Syriac Catholic Church

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Further reading

Ecumenical relations with the Catholic Church

• Pope Benedict XIV,Allatae Sunt(On the observance of Oriental Rites), Encyclical, 1755
• Addresses of Pope Paul VI and His Holiness Mar Ignatius Jacob III, 1971
• Common Declaration of Pope John Paul II and His Holiness Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, 1984
• Address of John Paul II on Occasion of the Visit to the Catholicos of the Malankarese Syrian Orthodox Church, 1986
• Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II Syriac orthodox patriarch of Antioch and all the East, 19 June 2015

External links

• Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate(Official website)
• Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate(Union between Christians)
• Department of Syriac Studies

Media

• Syriac religious TV channel of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
• Syriac Liturgydescription and photos
• Syriac Music Online
• YouTube video of a Palm Sunday Mass
• YouTube video: Associate professor Svante Lundgren explains the history and origin of the term "Syriac" (Suryoyo/Suroyo)

Relating to Syriac Orthodox Church

• Margonitho: Syriac Orthodox Resources

Relating to Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church

• News Site Of Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church^[usurped]
• Malankara Vision: TV Of Jacobite Syrian Church
• Radio Malankara: Radio of Jacobite Syrian Church