BIOGRAPHY of Patriarch H.H.Ignatius Aphrem-II

ORAN MOR IGNATIUS APHREM-II is the 123rd Patriarch of the See of Antioch & All The East adorning the Throne of St. Peter, the Chief of Apostles, and the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church. His Holiness was chosen to lead the Holy Church at the Universal Synod held on Monday 31st March 2014 at Lebanon after the demise of blessed Patriarch Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas and was installed as the supreme head of the Syriac Church at a divine ceremony presided over by Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas-I, the Catholicos of India and assisted by the metropolitans of the Universal Church, held at the St. Peter & St. Paul's Cathedral in the monastery of Mor Aphrem in Ma`arat Sayyidnaya near Damascus, Syria on 29th May 2014, the remembrance day of Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A brief biography of H.H. Ignatius Aphrem-II, the 123rd Patriarch of Antioch & All The East

Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem-II was born in Qamishli, Syria, on May 3, 1965 as the youngest child of Issa and Khanema Karim. The family were originally from Ehwo, a small town in the Turabdin region within the Province of Mardin in S.E. Turkey and was later shifted residence to Qamishli in northeastern Syria at the time of Christian persecution in the region.

Sa'id Karim, as he was known in his childhood days, lost his father at an early age and was raised by his late and loving mother. At a very young age itself he had a great passion for the service of God. He entered St. Ephrem’s Theological Seminary in Atchaneh, Lebanon, in 1977 following his primary schooling in Qamishli. Starting in 1982, the young Aphrem served the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo, Syria, for two years under His Eminence Mor Gregorios Yuhanna Ibrahim. From 1984 to 1988, he pursued higher studies at the Coptic Theological Seminary in Cairo, graduating with a BA Degree of Divinity.

In 1985, he took the vows of a monk, and put himself in the service of the Church. Upon installation, he received the monastic name of Ephraim (Aphrem) in honor of the great Syriac Doctor of the

Church, St. Ephraim the Syrian, who remained a simple ascetic deacon all his life. He was ordained to the deaconate in Egypt, and later the same year, to the sacred priesthood in Qamishi, his hometown.

From 1988 to 1989, Mor Cyril served as both, the secretary of His Holiness, Moran Mor Zakka-I Iwas, the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, and as a teacher at St. Ephrem’s Theological Seminary in Damascus, Syria.

In 1991, he entered St. Patrick’s College in Maynooth, Ireland, where he received a License of Sacred Theology Degree, in 1992, and a Doctor of Divinity Degree in 1994, following a
defense of his doctoral thesis on Symbolism of the Cross in Early Syriac Christianity. During that time, he also served as the vicar of Syriac Orthodox Church in London. He was instrumental in arranging for the purchase of a house property for the parish.

On Sunday, January 28, 1996, the monk-priest Aphrem was consecrated as Archbishop under the Episcopal name Mor Cyril (Kyrillos) at St. Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church in Quamishli, Syria and became the Patriarchal Vicar of the new created Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church for the Eastern United States. Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim arrived in The United States on March 2, 1996, and was officially installed to his position at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Teaneck, New Jersey.

During his years as hierarch of the Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church for the Eastern United States, he has overseen the establishment of several new parishes which includes the churches in Washington DC, Florida, New Jersey, Virginia, Indiana and Texas. He recently led the efforts to purchase a beautiful 5-story building on a 5.27 acres of land to serve as an Archdiocesan Center. On a regular basis, he has visited all the parishes, and formed a new Archdiocese Advisory Council to assist with the administration of the Archdiocese and its various programs; working closely with the parish boards and clergy to see that the spiritual and church needs of the faithful are fulfilled. Thanks to Almighty God and to His Eminence’s fatherly and tireless leadership, the Archdiocese has attained new heights during his tenure.

The youth of the Archdiocese was always of special concern for His Eminence; in his first year as an Archbishop, he established the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocesan Youth Organization (SOAYO), which coordinates the ministry of all youth organizations of the parishes of the Archdiocese. His commitment to them was shown right from the start, when he immediately held a number of youth gatherings and conferences, as well as being instrumental in establishing an Archdiocesan Scholarship Program to benefit the students. His Eminence shared the youth with the Church’s deep concern for them, and fielded many questions related to faith and other specific concerns they had. He encouraged them to do their best to work together as one family for the growth and advancement of the Holy Church. Mor Cyril, likewise, helped organize Annual Youth Retreats throughout the Archdiocese, for both younger and older youth. He was also responsible for the creation of a special Monthly Youth Liturgy, to bring the young people of the various parishes in the New Jersey/New York area, to give them a chance to participate fully in the Eucharistic Celebration. Consequently, His Eminence called for the establishment of the Archdiocesan Choral Society, comprised of musically talented children from different parishes of the Archdiocese. This group performed in several concerts and produced two Hymnal recordings; one for Christmas and the other for Maundy Thursday Service.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad meets Patriarch-Elect Mor Ignatius Aphrem-II and bishops from the Synod on 2nd April 2014

The Syriac Orthodox Scouts of America is another organization of the youth that was dear to His Eminence’s heart, and he did his best to attend all their activities and he always appealed to our people to encourage them. Likewise, His Eminence had showed his great concern to the adult members in our community. Under his guidance and leadership, a Pre-marital Counseling Program has been created in the parishes of the Archdiocese, to help young people prepare for their Christian married life. This includes an opportunity for them to meet with His Eminence and local clergy, to discuss matters of common concerns, that help assure lasting and successful marriages.

Mor Cyril also realized how important is to respect and honor the elderly. In this regard, he established an Annual Elderly Liturgy Service, that brings together the elderly members of local parishes to share in the Celebration of the Lord’s Supper, and to spend a special time of recognition and appreciation.

In the field of education, Archbishop Mor Cyril blessed and encouraged the establishment of the Archdiocesan Sunday School Committee; a body of Sunday School principals and teachers, who had been working together with His Eminence and local clergy, in the creation of a Unified Sunday School Program for the parishes. As a result of the Committee’s outstanding efforts, a series of unified lesson plans and materials have been prepared, and have proven invaluable in helping to introduce students to the Orthodox faith and traditions of the Holy Church.

Moreover, His Eminence Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, has been responsible for the publication of a series of books and articles related to the Church:

Mor Cyril encouraged the American Foundation for Syriac Studies to publish several issues of a quarterly entitled “Syriac Studies”, and helped in co-sponsoring a series of public lectures by outstanding scholars on Syriac Theology, culture, history, and literature. In addition to his many talents, Archbishop Karim is fluent in both Classical and Vernacular (Touroyo) as well as in Arabic, French, and English.

Over the past decade, Mor Cyril established himself as an ecumenist, very much concerned about Christian Unity. He has served on both, the Executive and Central Committees of the World Council of Churches, attending the 1991 Canberra, Australia WCC General Assembly, the 1998 WCC General Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe and the 2006 Assembly of Porto Alegre, Brazil, as a member of the Syriac Orthodox delegation. Moreover, he has been an active member of the Executive and Governing Boards of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, and he also serves as a Vice- Chairman of the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in America. In recent years, His Eminence has been instrumental in the establishment of a new and promising ecumenical body, Christian Churches Together in the USA, of which the Syriac Orthodox Church is a founding member. In all his ecumenical activities, Mor Cyril has most capably represented the Holy Church and has won the admiration and respect of his colleagues and confreres.

On 31st May 2014, following the demise of Patriarch Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas in Germany on March 21st after a period of long illness, Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim was chosen to the Patriarchate as the 123rd successor of St. Peter in the Apostolic See of Antioch. The Holy synod to elect the new Patriarch was convened at the St Jacob Baradeus Monastery in Atchaneh, Lebanon, presided over by Mor Baselios Thomas-I Catholicos of India and Mor Severius Jamil Hawa Archbishop of Baghdad and Basra and Patriarchal Locum Tenens. Upon election, he took the patriarchal name Ignatius, replacing his episcopal name Cyril, and, being the second patriarch to bear the monastic name Aphrem (the first being Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum), his name became IGNATIUS APHREM-II.

The official communication regarding the election of the Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem-II

The official installation ceremony as the supreme head of the Syriac Orthodox Church was held at the St. Peter & St. Paul's Cathedral in the monastery of Mor Ephrem in Ma`arat Sayyidnaya near Damascus, Syria on 29th May 2014, the annual day of celebration of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. The divine ceremony was presided over by Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas-I, the Catholicos of India and assisted by the metropolitans of the Universal Syrian Church. A large delegation of eminent religious heads of sister churches, religious organizations and government officials were present during the ceremony. During the installation ceremony His Holiness Ignatius Aphrem-II used the Episcopal Staff of Patriarch Elias-III, the Eskimo of Patriarch Aphrem-I, the Staff of Office of Patriarch Jacob-III, and the Cross and Icons of Patriarch Zakka-I.

Photo from the installation ceremony held at the St. Peter & St. Paul Cathedral of St. Ephrem Monastery

On 30th May 2014, a one day special session of the Holy Synod was convened at St. Ephrem Monastery in Syria under the auspices leadership of Patriarch Aphrem-II. At the Synod His Holiness expressed his deep concern over the absence of his mentor Mor Gregorios Yuhanon of Aleppo who has been kidnapped by the terrorists a year ago along with Greek Orthodox Bishop. H.H. also expressed his keen desire to sustain and improve the Catholicity (Universality) of the Syriac Orthodox Church: Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. His Holiness said that the enthronement service of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch, The 'Order of Mor Cleemis' ( St Clement) was divided into 26 parts and it was read in 13 languages.

H.H. Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem-II with H.B. Catholicos Mor Baselios Thomas-I & the Metropolitans

H.H. reiterated that necessary steps will be taken to improve the already existing strong relationship of the Patriarchate of Antioch and All The East with church in Malankara (India) which is the integral part of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch. The Universal Syriac Orthodox Holy Synod will be convened every 4 years. A six (6) member Committee under the presidentship of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East was constituted to look into the possibility of convening an Universal Syriac Orthodox Holy Synod in India (Malankara) in the year 2016. The next year being the 100th anniversary of genocide of the 100,000 Syriac Orthodox Christians of Turkey, which occurred in the year 1915, programs related to this event will be organized in Europe, America, Middle East and India. He also emphasized the importance of Syriac education among the fathful and the revival of the ancient Syriac heritage.The Universal Syriac Orthodox Episcopal Holy Synod was attended by Catholicose Aboon Mor Basilious Thomas I and the Syriac Orthodox Archbishops. On Sunday 1st of June 2014, His Holiness celebrated the first Holy Qurbono at the St. Ephrem Cathedral of Beirut, Lebanon after his enthronement to the Patriarchal See.

The above biography is prepared based on the biography of Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim published by

English translation of the Statement of Faith - OMOLOGIA - declared by H.H. IGNATIUS APHREM-II

at the time of his installation as the Patriarch of Antioch & All The East

Video Link:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=640683892691708&set=vb.159423580817744&type=2&theater

ENGLISH TEXT OF ABOVE VIDEO

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One True God. Amen.

His Beatitude, our brother Mor Baselios Thoma I, the esteemed Maphryono of India. Their Eminences the Metropolitans and Bishops of the Syriac Orthodox Church which is loved by Christ and is protected by the Lord.

Since the Holy Spirit called my weak self and you have chosen me—I, the sinner, servant of the Lord—to be seated, by the Grace of God and not by worthiness, on the see of St. Peter the Apostle, the See of Antioch, and to become a general father for the children of Christ our Lord, the Syriac Orthodox Church, I bow my head in front of Him, He Who called me by His infinite knowledge and His incomprehensible wisdom. And I ask of Him, our High-Priest, for wisdom and help to be able to complete my duties with the fear of God and fitting care, to serve this great and holy rank, to work for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, and to labor for the exaltation of the Holy Church.

Because by the grace of God, and by your decree which you have taken counsel together, I am about to approach the exalted rank of the Patriarchate, these declarations of belief are required of me which are in every respect in accordance with the priestly canons and the teaching of the holy fathers, those which I confess before the all-knowing God that with an unshakeable, unchangeable, and resolute will I will embrace and hold onto them until the end of my life. These things, therefore, which are placed in my mind, which by the aid of God I will preserve until my last breath, without error and correctly, are as follows:

I promise before God and His elect angels, that I will unswervingly keep the orthodox faith, that which is from the beginning and from the time of the holy apostles, which the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers received and confirmed at Nicaea, and the holy synod of one hundred and fifty holy fathers, which was gathered in Constantinople, ratified, and likewise the holy synod of Ephesus.

I confess the doctrine of the holy Trinity. That is, three holy qnumē (hypostases) or parsupē (persons), of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, which are known by three particular char¬acteristics, by unbegot¬tenness, and begottenness, and procession. The Father, then, is unbegotten, as He is the cause for the Son and the Spirit. The Son, however, is begotten from the Father, and not from any other. So the Holy Spirit is also a true qnumo, just like the Father and the Son, for together with the fact that the Son was eternally begotten from the Father, so also the Holy Spirit sprung forth by procession from the same Father, even though without being begotten like the Son, but by procession, as is seemly for the Holy Spirit. The three of them are one in Divin¬ity, one God and one ousia (essence), and also one action, one will, one creatorship, one knowledge, but not three gods.

I confess that one of these holy qnumē, I mean the Word God, at the end of times was incarnated for the sake of our salvation from the Holy Virgin, unacquainted with coupling, Mary the Mother of God, who in her soul and in her body was first purified by the Spirit, and He became like us in everything, ‘apart from sin’, as it is written. And thus He was born from her, truly but without passion, and not by false illusion, since He did not cause a body to descend for Him from heaven, nor did He pass through the Virgin as though through a pipe, but He was incarnate from her essence, without tearing the seals of her virginity. And so He was one kyono (being) in His eternal state, and He is the same one being in His incarnate state. But He, however, who was simple and not composite, invisible and untouchable, the same He became composite for our sake, in His manifestation from the Virgin, simultaneously visible and touchable, eternal and temporal, and not one and another. But He Himself is one composite kyono (being) and qnumo (hypostasis).

These things are such understood. While I acknowledge the teachers of orthodoxy, the holy fathers, and reverently embrace their teachings, I cast down as preachers under anathema all those who were corrupters of the orthodox.

I believe in the Sacraments of the Church and I accept the Holy Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments. I promise to uphold the Apostolic Canons, Church Law, and the Patristic Tradition, and I shall never depart from them at all.

I promise to walk in the path of serving the house of God and the faithful honorably, truthfully, flawlessly, actively, and diligently; to be unwavering in fasting and prayer for myself and for the flock of Christ that was entrusted to me to shepherd; to be peaceful, humble, and hospitable to all as our Lord Jesus Christ taught; and to stay far away from drunkenness, greed, usury, conflicts, grudges, cruelty, and vengeance, as Paul the Apostle taught.

I vow to work with my brothers, the bishops of the Church with the love of God and in a spirit of fraternity so that our entire service will be for the glory of God and the exaltation of His Holy Church.

I also proclaim the oneness of faith with my partners in the Apostolic ministry, the shepherds of the sister Oriental Orthodox Churches. I accept the general statements of faith produced by the Joint Commission of the Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, in particular the statements produced in Chambésy in 1990 and 1993. I consent to the agreement that took place between my two immediate predecessors and the Heads of the Church of Rome in 1971 and 1984, as well as the agreement with the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch in 1991.

I, Cyril Aphrem, who by the mercy of God am the Metropolitan of the Eastern United States, having made this confession of faith which is set down above, and having read and carefully considered the matters in it, and all of them having pleased me, and having agreed with it, I have signed with my signature. And I confirm that I will adhere to all of those things in it all the days of my life, without transgression or deviation. And I have confessed these things as though before God and his angels.

The Omologia

(a Greek word that

means "Statement of Faith")

Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II

The "amologia" (ܐܡܘܠܘܓܝܐ) of the faith of the Syriac Orthodox Church by the Patriarch in Aramaic, the liturgical language of the Church of Antioch.

His Holiness declared the loyalty to the Faith of the Church (Christology, Trinity, decisions of three ecumenical councils) before God and His Angels, and before the whole Church. Then His Holiness signs the “amologia” which was written with his own hand. This document remains in the archive of the Patriarchate for future generations, such as those of his predecessors.