BIOGRAPHY

H.E. Mor Julius Hanna Aydin was born as the son of Cello Aydin and Sara Aydin, neé Celik on 02.04.1947 in the the village of Mzizah in Tur Abdin. In the early summer of the same year he was baptized in the name Hanna in the Syrian-Orthodox Church of Mor Yuhanun in Mzizah. His father died in the same year while being in military service in the Turkish army. He was mainly brought up by his grandparents Antar and Zero Aydin.

His early education was at the national elementary school in Mzizah after which he learned the handcraft of a smith with his uncle Shabo Aydin. During the military service he was harassed, because of his Christian faith.

After the completion of military service he joined the Austrian College of St. George in Istanbul (1969-1972). In this time he acquired the graduation of the secondary school (09.10.1972) and also a diploma in radio- and TV-equipment (08.06.1972).

Dr. Hanna Aydin studied theology from 1972-1974 at the St. Aphrem Seminary in Beirut in Lebanon. He continued its studies from 1974 to 1978 at the Philosophical-Theological Institute of the Catholic-Theological University of the Franciscan Order in Schwatz (Austria), which he concluded, but however it did not entitled to the graduation.

From 1978 to 1980 he was a secretary of late Mor Julius Yeshu Cicek one of the most revered metropolitan of the Syrian Orthodox Church of the modern times.

He continued his studies at the University of Eichstätt which he concluded successfully with the diploma (18.10.1982).

From 1983 to 1987 he was research associate with Prof. Dr. Reinhard Hübner at the chair of Ancient Church History and

Patrology at the University of Eichstätt. Apart from this activity he wrote his doctoral thesis. Still before completion of these he followed the invitation of the archbishop to Holland and had therefore to leave the university.

His major task was the support of the Syrian-Orthodox asylum seekers in Europe (1987-1992). Again he was a secretary for the Archdiocese of Central Europe and Benelux-Countries with seat in the Mor Aphrem Monastery in Glane/ Losser in Holland (1992-1996).

To continue its thesis Dr. Hanna Aydin registered at the Catholic-Theological Faculty of the University of Munster. If time remained he drove once per week from Holland to Munster. When his doctoral thesis supervisor Prof. Dr. Garijo Guambe died before the conclusion of his work, he registered at the nearby University of Bochum. He was not being able to complete his work there, since he had been appointed the Abbott of the Monastery of Mor Ya`qub of Sarug at Warburg by His Holiness the Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zaka I Iwas.

Since at this time the monastery was still in the renovation phase, his introduction as an Abbott took place in the Mor Aho Church in Paderborn. As Abbott and director of the new seminary for priests (starting from 1997) it was no longer possible to continue his work in Bochum.

The doctoral thesis which was briefly before the conclusion needed a responsible person who has a good command of Aramaic. On the occasion of a symposium Prof. Dr. Jürgen Tubach (Martin-Luther University in Halle-Wittenberg) and Prof. Dr. Jacob Thekeparambil (St. Ephrem Research Institute in Kottayam/India, -SEERI) acceded that he terminates his work in the SEERI, which is a regional centre for M.A. Syriac/ Ph.D. Syriac and is institutionally connected with the Mahatma Gandhi University. Since that Prof. Dr. Jürgen Tubach accompanied him as a doctoral thesis supervisor.

Its Defensio (the defense of the theses of his work) took place on 06.11.2002 in the SEERI in Kottayam (in the Federal State of Kerala/India). On 07.11.2002 Dr. Hanna Aydin kept solemn his doctor title of philosophy (Dr. Phil.). He wrote the thesis over Mor Yakub Hbishoyo of Salah.

On Feb 3, 2006, His Holiness the Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zaka I Iwas appointed Raban Dr. Hanna Aydin to his curate for the diocese in Germany. Later the Holy Synod of the Universal Church that met at the patriarchate decided to elevate Raban Hanna Aydin to the order of Bishop for Central Germany.

On February 18, 2007, Raban Hanna Aydin was ordained Metropolitan by name Mor JULIUS by His Holiness the Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Zaka I Iwas at a solemn ceremony held at the St. Peter & St. Paul Cathedral in Maarat Saydnya, Damascus. Metropolitan Mor Clemis Daniel Malak Kourieh was also ordained Metropolitan along with Mor Julius. Later His Holiness appointed Metropolitan Mor Julius Hanna Aydin as patriarchal vicar for Germany, the decision was later ratified by the Holy Synod held at the patriarchate in Damascus from September 11-15, 2007.

The sunthroniso of Mor Julius was held on Sunday March 4, 2007 at the Monastery of Mor Ya`qub of Sarug in the Westfalian city of Warburg, Germany. Apart from the large gathering of faithful from Germany and other places, dignitaries from various Christian denominations also participated in the ceremony.

[a] Photos from the Metropolitan Ordination ceremony of Mor Julius & mor Clemis (Source: Soku):

1. Edited version of the biography of Mor Julius Hanna Aydin submitted by Shabo on Mittwoch - http://www.yauno.com/

Photos from the Metropolitan Consecration ceremony of Mor Julius Hanna Aydin

held at St. Peter & St. Paul Cathedral, Maarat Saydnya, Damascus on February 18, 2007

@ MSCR - Malankara Syriac Christian Resources

http://SyriacChristianity.org

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