In our last issue (Review No. 107, page 208) we reported the election of Abouna Yakob as second Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church. The following are some biographical notes about the new Patriarch.

He was born on 5 July 1917 in the village of Edrba in the Anseba Region. His father was Ato Andeghiorgis Ogbazion and his mother was W/ro Welete kudusan Amdemicael. He entered Tzaeda Emba St. Trinity Monastery as a child and studied the Holy Scriptures and Hymns after which, in 1930, he was ordained a deacon by Abouna Marcos. At that time he wanted to be a monk but his parents were opposed to this. As a result he entered the remote Abune Yonnas Monastery in Mai-Mine, which was some distance from his home.

In 1938 he became a monk and was ordained as a priest and shortly afterwards became the spokesman (Afe-memhir) for the aged abbot, being given the name of Afe-Memhir Teclemariam. After four years he was appointed General Secretary and a judge of the spiritual tribunal in the Bishopric of Amhara, by its Archbishop Abouna Atnatewos. He also served as a general Gospel preacher in the churches of Asmara and in St. Mary's Church in particular. During the time of the Dergue, he was twice the leading contender to be the Archbishop for Eritrea, but because of anti-Eritrean bias and the belief that he was associated with the EPLF he was passed over. Finally, in 1980 he was elected and consecrated as a bishop but was not assigned to an Eritrean diocese for political reasons. In 1991 when the Dergue fell and Eritrea obtained its independence, Aboune Yakob served briefly as Archbishop of Northern Gondar, acting Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and chairman of the Patriarchal Electoral Committee. He served as Assistant to Patriarch Paulos 1992-93 but shortly afterwards settled in Eritrea in order to participate in the life and work of the newly independent Eritrean Orthodox Church.

Catholicos warns Lebanese government of loss of confidence

The Lebanese Government has recognised Armenian Christmas day (6 January) as a national public holiday. Responses by Armenians, however, were mixed as some questioned the government's motives. Under the Taif Agreement, Armenians should two seats in the government, but only have one, the Sports and Youth Minister Sebouh Hounanian.

In his Christmas sermon Catholicos Aram I said it was "not acceptable at all" for religion to serve political or other ends. He added that the "schism" between the state and the people was "gradually growing."

"There can be no peace without justice, as justice is a gift from God and peace is its fruit," he said. He also called on Christianity and Islam to serve as an "example of peaceful coexistence throughout the world," saying that Lebanon was based on coexistence and this gave it its unique character. "We in Lebanon do not talk, and should not talk, about dialogue or even coexistence, but about living together and continuing to do so," he added.

The Catholicos also spoke of the "problems" of the Lebanese people who, he said, were losing confidence in the state. "Instead of giving due attention to basic issues, the state is preoccupied with minor and secondary matters, and the economic and social situation of the people is deteriorating day after day," he said. "Even more, the phenomenon of violence is gradually spreading across the country and this disturbing phenomenon may cause instability. It is the authorities' duty to impose and maintain security and thus prove its effective presence in all Lebanese territory," he added. Turning to Armenian issues, he said that the community was not being given its rights and all "clarifications and justifications given in this respect are unacceptable." He appealed to government leaders to "take into consideration our community's rights and give it due importance, ensuring an effective participation that truly represents it."

Syriac Orthodox Church in Diyarbakir looted

During the night of 7 January the Syriac Orthodox Church of the Mother of God (known as 'Meryem Ana' in Turkish) in Diyarbakir was broken into by unknown Muslims and vandalized. According to Saliba Açis, the Syriac teacher who belongs to this church, the burglars stole invaluable liturgical items: among these were a large handwritten Gospel-Lectionary from the 18th century with a silver cover placed in the altar room, three silver crosses from the 17th century and a very old icon of the Mother of God, placed above the grave of the famous Syrian Theologian and Metropolitan Dionysios Bar Salibi (died 1171), as well as two rare 18th century silk and golden liturgical veils covering the chalice and paten. Iconographic pictures of saints were thrown to the floor. The robbers broke into the church after climbing over the outer walls and smashing open a church window with steel barriers. This was all discovered early in the morning when Father Yusuf Akbulut arrived to celebrate the morning service. Immediately, the authorities were notified.

In April a three hundred year old Syriac Gospel Book was stolen from the Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs in Mardin. The thieves appeared at the church in the early morning and obtained entry by posing as researchers. They then locked the caretaker in the church and escaped with their treasure.

New Syriac Bishops consecrated

On 9 February 2003, His Holiness Mor Ignatius Zakka Iwas, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, consecrated two monks as bishops in Saydnaya near Damascus. Raban Elia Bahe, the Patriarch's secretary, was given the religious name of Mor Athanasius. Raban Saliba Özmen was named Mor Philoxenos (pictured here) and consecrated as Bishop of Mardin, which see has been vacant since 1969. Originally from Mar Bobo in Tur Abdin, he is also a graduate of Oxford University's Oriental Institute. His seat is in the former Patriarchal residence, the monastery of Deir Za'faran.

Second Indian Orthodox saint canonised

The late Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius, former Malankara Metropolitan, was canonised by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church at a solemn function held at the Old Seminary chapel. Scores of Church followers participated in the four-hour-long services held in February under the authority of Malankara Metropolitan Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews II. Vattasseril Thirumeni is the second saint of the Church after Parumala Thirumeni. The canonization services commenced with the morning prayers, followed by a Moonninmel Qurbana offered by the Catholicos and other bishops. Yakoob Mar Iraneos, Chennai diocese bishop, delivered the sermon. Later, the declaration of canonisation was greeted with prayers, chiming of bells and fireworks.

The relics of Vattasserril Thirumeni were blessed on the altar of the chapel. Later, a 'dhoopa prarthana' was held at the tomb of the saint, situated inside the chapel.

Inaugurating the public meeting held in connection with the canonization, Archbishop Mar Joseph Powathil of the Changanaserry Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church recalled that Vattasseril Thirumeni's era was the golden age in Church history.

Holy Fire Dispute in Jerusalem

For centuries the Greek Orthodox and the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchates of Jerusalem have jointly conducted the Ceremony of the Holy Fire which takes place annually on Holy Saturday at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Greek Patriarch or his representative is accorded an honorary priority but is accompanied by an Armenian bishop or a priest representing the Armenian Patriarch. Although there have been many disputes in past centuries, these have been avoided in recent years because both parties have studiously adhered to the Status Quo respecting one another. However, in 2002 a dispute arose involving the newly elected Greek Orthodox Patriarch, Irenaios I. This was referred to the Status Quo Committee of both patriarchates, who met twice and discussed the issues in February 2003, but without reaching a final conclusion.

The Tomb of Christ is contained within a free standing apsidal structure, known as the Edicule, which stands under the Rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The entry is through a single doorway at the east end leading into a roughly square 'Chapel of the Angel' opposite which is the inner entrance to a short passageway leading into the Tomb Chamber. This is so low and narrow that only one fairly slim person can go in at a time, whilst because half of the Tomb Chamber consists of the burial couch, there is standing or kneeling room inside for only two persons. By acknowledging and respecting the order of priority, the Greek Patriarch or his representative goes into the Tomb Chamber first, followed by the Armenian representative.

Once inside the Tomb Chamber the Greek Patriarch or his representative and the Armenian representative kneel down next to each other in front of the stone on which our Lord was laid after his death, holding bunches of unlit candles and say their private prayers. After that there appears to be differing accounts of what actually takes place. The Greek Church asserts that the lighting of Holy Fire is a miracle, "fire from heaven", and that when their Patriarch says "certain prayers that have been handed down to us through the centuries" fire from heaven appears. "Light proceeds from the core of the stone - a blue, indefinable light which after some time kindles closed oil lamps as well as the two candles of the Patriarch" The Armenians by asserting that the Greek Patriarch or his representative lights his candles first from a special oil-lamp that was brought in earlier followed by the Armenian Bishop, does not claim a miraculous origin for the Holy Fire.

Having exchanged Paschal greetings either inside the Tomb Chamber or by the pedestal of the Stone of the Angel in the Chapel of the Angel they make their exeat. Since the Armenian is closer to the exit, he comes out first from the Tomb Chamber to the Chapel of the Angel followed by the Greek Patriarch both carrying the torches of the Holy Fire. Here they proceed towards round windows or openings which are in the Chapel of the Angel, the Greek Patriarch to the northern hole and the Armenian Bishop to the southern hole through which they pass them out respectively to the attendant torch-bearers of their communities. Then the Greek Patriarch knocks at the closed door of the Edicule to be opened and emerges first with torches in hand blessing the congregation, followed by the Armenian holding up his torch. At this point the Copts and the Syrians enter the Chapel of the Angel to light their candles.

In 2002 Father Samuel, the Armenian representative, accompanied the Greek Patriarch into the Tomb Chamber. After lighting their torches of the Holy Fire from the oil-lamp, while still inside the Tomb, the Patriarch held and slightly pulled Father Samuel's left arm telling him to go to his left side so that he himself would come out first to the Chapel of the Angel contrary to the traditional practice. Father Samuel objected to this suggestion and had to come out first from the Tomb. As Father Samuel approached the southern hole and was lighting other candles set there in order to pass them out, the Patriarch reached from behind him and pushed him away from the window. Thereupon there was a brief scuffle between the two.

In the discussions intended to resolve this conflict, Patriarch Irenaios put forward the suggestion to the Armenian Patriarch, Torkom II, that the Armenian representative charged with the duty of conducting the Holy Fire Ceremony with him, should not enter the Tomb Chamber with him, but should stand outside by the pedestal of the Stone of the Angel in the Chapel of the Angel and should receive the Holy Fire from the Patriarch. This was unacceptable to the Armenians as it violated the Status Quo.

With matters still unresolved there were fears that the feuding factions might result in violence this Pascha. Israeli police had threatened to bar attendance to all but a few hundred worshippers if the sides did not reach an accord. Fortunately because of a last-minute deal brokered by the Israeli police events passed off peacefully. The cost of the temporary compromise, however, has been the widening of divisions between the two churches.

Archbishop Aristarchos, General Secretary of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate's Holy Synod, said that this year the ritual passed off peacefully because the Armenians agreed not to enter the tomb at the same time as the Greek Orthodox. The archbishop said Greek Orthodox leaders would make every effort to achieve reconciliation with the Armenian Orthodox representatives. "No one can deny that relations have been disturbed. But both of us need to try not to alienate the other any further," he said. "I hope we will be successful, with God's help, and that we can reach a [long-standing] agreement without any involvement with the Israelis."

First Armenian Church in Siberia

In May Catholicos Karekin II, visited Krasnoyarsk, one of the largest Russian cities in Siberia to consecrate the Saint Sarkis Armenian Church, the first Armenian Church to be built in Siberia. There are an estimated 45,000 Armenians in the Krasnoyarsk province who have united to form a strong community. The church was built by donations from several local wealthy Armenians. The population of Krasnoyarsk is 930,000.

Ethiopian Patriarch interviewed about AIDS

In May Abune Paulos, Patriarch of Ethiopia, joined other Christian and religious leaders in the fight to combat the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus. In an interview with the United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks, he declared emphatically that it is a tragic situation which has to be dealt with. It was important to make people aware and to recognise this virus because "it would be immoral not to do something about it. It is our responsibility to take care of our brothers and sisters."

The Patriarch said that the church was addressing the stigma by introducing programmes in consultation with experts and others with their own continuous moral support and moral teaching. A change of behaviour is one of the key things to deal with this problem because it concerns personal choice. "Some people choose to drink, some people choose to lust …. if they have a moral sense, if they base their behaviour on a moral, on a rule, on a spiritual regulation, then they have a limitation and they cannot do such things."

Abune Paulos did not advocate the use of condoms as a solution because the teaching of the church was that from childhood until adolescence, when they are ready to get married, "everyone stays sanctified, virginal, disciplined." He believed that behavioural change was feasible and would work because "if people are believers they believe... If you have faith, you have a moral obligation. You owe to God, to the God in whom you believe, to listen and obey him. Disorder on earth came because of disobedience."

Asked how he would react if he found a priest in the Church was HIV positive, he replied that first of all he would sympathise and be ready to assist him, but he would be relieved of his post and pastoral responsibilities because of his conduct. He would be instructed and given direction. "I would treat him like any other one. I am against stigma and discrimination."

Asked how he responded to accusations that the church had advocated using Holy Water to treat AIDS, the Patriarch asserted that it was not the church which had declared that Holy Water was a medicine, but some victims who had come believing and drunk the Holy Water before returning to their doctors, who had declared them infection free. "The church's teaching is to believe in God, to follow the rule of God and to trust in God - so that God could cure them … But I do believe that the one who truly believes gets healed, because that is a scriptural teaching."

Syrian Patriarch visits Antelias

Patriarch Zakka I Iwas of the Syriac Orthodox Church, visited the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias on 10 June and had two days of meetings with Catholicos Aram I.

The Patriarch, arriving from Damascus, was accompanied by two Archbishops. During the course of their meeting, the two leaders examined the cooperation between the Syrian Patriarchate and the Catholicosate of Cilicia, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and a number of questions pertaining to the forthcoming October summit of the Middle-Eastern Patriarchs of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. The restructuring of MECC and the election of its new General Secretary claimed an important part of the two leaders' deliberations. MECC finds itself facing serious difficulties. Many months ago, Catholicos Aram had proposed to the MECC authorities his vision of the reorganization of the Council and the reformation of its administrative, structural and planning facets.

Progress in Syriac Churches in South East Turkey.

The Reverend Stephen Griffith, who serves as the Archbishop of Canterbury's Apokrisarios in the Caucasus, has also written regular reports for the Middle East Forum of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) on the situation of the Syriac Orthodox Christians in Mardin and Tur Abdin in south-eastern Turkey. His visits have been generously funded by the Church Mission Society on behalf of CTBI.

From 17-24 June 2003 he stayed in the monasteries of Mor Gabriel, near Midyat and Deir Zafaran near Mardin, and visited a number of towns, villages and monasteries to obtain an understanding of their current situation.

In his earlier reports Stephen Griffith recorded the abandonment and destruction of Christian villages, of murder and fear in the midst of the Kurdish rebellion against the Turkish government, and of the suppression of the rights of the Syriac speaking community, who were prevented from teaching their language and religion, repairing and building their ancient property, and even welcoming guests to stay in their monasteries. Over the previous twenty years 90% of the Syriac population had left the region, with the village of Der Kube evacuated as recently as 1995 when they moved to nearby Bekusyoné. Much of the land had been abandoned and thousands of trees cut to prevent Kurdish fighters hiding from government forces. There were checkpoints on all the main roads and large numbers of soldiers everywhere. It was a grim scene which suggested that within a few years the Christian population here was ultimately facing extinction. Neither the Kurdish separatists (the PKK) nor the Turkish government of the day seemed interested in preventing such an event, and the use by one of terror and by the other of bureaucracy pushed to the brink of extinction this tiny community which posed a threat to neither.

Formerly the buildings in Christian villages were taken over by Kurds as they were abandoned (and sometimes sold) and in some cases ancient churches were converted into mosques or even destroyed.

Since the end of the troubles, the arrest of Abdullah Ocalan and changes in government in the late 1990s there have been some significant improvement, notably the return of families to villages and land abandoned in the previous decades. Those who had emigrated to Europe or settled in Istanbul have often done well economically and are able to invest in both land and buildings. Five families of villagers of Der Kube have returned from Bekusyoné and the building of two substantial modern houses is well under way; work is also going on to restore the church which had been desecrated. They have their own generator, but insufficient water, which is supplemented by water brought from the larger nearby town of Kerburan by tractor. Below on the edge of the high land Mar Bobo had been abandoned for many years, and six families are returning: three from Germany and three from nearby Gündükshükrü. They are also building new houses.

Several villages were evacuated on Mount Izlo, where there are no other inhabitants. This means that the return to these villages gives an opportunity for Syriac Christians to re-establish themselves in an area where there is little possibility of inter-communal tensions. A government commission has met with locals to discuss ownership of land and buildings.

At Kafro a new well has been sunk and electricity provided ready for the return of between fourteen and seventeen families. Badibbe is expecting four or five families, but these may have no children among them, which is problematic for the longer term development of the village. At Sedere six houses and the church are under repair. Two houses are being restored at Mishke. One family has arrived in Midyat ready to return to Ehwo once other families join them. In the Izlo area fields are planted with melons and fruit trees and there are plans to restore what was once a major grape producing (and wine producing) area. Arbo has had much of its land planted.

In the towns of Mardin and Midyat and in nearly all the villages rough counts suggest that up to 30% of the population is under 25 years of age, and there are large numbers of small children. In Der Salib much work had been done encouraged by emigrants who came back temporarily and contributed to renovation work and building a house. The aging population has only one man of marriageable age. A well has been sunk there but the very bad track to the main highway needs urgent attention.

Much of the land is now being planted, and there is a government grant of 13,000,000 Turkish pounds/hectare of land in production. Much of the newly planted land is owned by farmers who have not yet returned to live, but who will have the land already in production by the time they resettle. Some villages have new electricity supplies, others still have the old poles in place ready to carry new wires.

Other villages are doing well. Basibrin (Bsorino) has new water storage for 100 tonnes supplied by the Friends of Tur Abdin, although work needs to be done on piping the water: the local authority has not been very helpful in this matter. Midun, likewise a flourishing village, has experienced a good harvest, and renovation work on the church continues.

The monasteries continue to be lively centres of Syriac Orthodox culture. The arrival of the new Bishop of Mardin has made a clear impact on the town and the monastery. He visits and has been visited by the local Governor, who has encouraged the restoration of Syriac villages and monasteries. Mor Gabriel monastery is a larger community in the heart of Tur Abdin and the residence of Bishop Samuel. of Tur Abdin, It has been a centre for Syriac Orthodox culture and faith throughout the troubles.

This report provides a helpful picture of the current situation and should be read alongside earlier reports: "Concern over destruction of Syrian churches" (Review No. 107, pages 204-208) and Abba Seraphim's "A Visit to the Churches of Tur Abdin" (Review No. 105, pages 26-52).

New Armenian Bishops consecrated

22 June, the Feast of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, consecrated two vardapets to the episcopate. Father Vazgen Mirzakhanian to b e Primate of the diocese of Georgia and Father Bagrat Galsdanian to be Primate of Canada. His Holiness was assisted by two bishops: Bishop Vicken Aykazian, Eastern Diocesan Legate to Washington, D.C. and Bishop Sepouh Chouljian, Primate of the Diocese of Gugark. Bishop Bagrat was born at Gyumri in Armenia on 20 May 1971 and baptized Vazgan. He entered the Gevorkian Theological Semionary at Holy Etchmiadzin in 1988, was ordained deacon in 1993 and priest in 1995. He studied at Mirfield and the University of Leeds.

Christians in Iraq

Christians in Iraq comprise around 5% of the population. Under Saddam Hussein there were fourteen officially recognized local Christian communities, most of which are either the Catholic or Orthodox. These include the Assyrians (Church of the East), Syriac Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, and Coptic churches. The largest group of Iraqi Christians belong to the Chaldean Church, which is an Eastern Catholic Church in communion with Rome. Since 1981, no new churches have been allowed to register.

Iraq is one of the ancient heartlands of the Syriac Orthodox community, numbering around 50,000, which is now administered in three archdioceses: Baghdad and Basra, Mosul and the Monastery of Mor Mattai. Baghdad accounts for more than half of these with some six churches. The church in Basra has around sixty families. In Northern Iraq, Mosul is the largest concentration of Syriac Orthodox with some seven churches and dependant communities at Qaraqosh, Sinjar, Tamim and Kirkuk. The Monastery of Mar Mattai has pastoral oversight of the towns of Bartalla, Bashiqa, Bahzani and Merga.

On 31 March Bartulla, just 15 km from Mosul, was bombed when Coalition planes hit the local Ba'ath Party headquarters. Reports stated that approximately twenty Christians were killed and seventy-five wounded in this tragedy. There are two active Syriac churches in the town.

In 1990 there were between 18,000 and 20,000 Armenians in Iraq. Some 12,000 were in Baghdad and the rest in the cities of Kirkuk, Mosul, and Zakho, all north of Baghdad, and Basra in the south of the country. The Armenian community has been established in the area for centuries. Many came as traders in the early 17th century during the Ottoman-Persian wars. The 1915 Genocide led to a great influx but many Iraqi Armenians left during the Gulf War bombings and the subsequent economic privations.

The Diocese of the Armenian Church in Iraq has, for over the past twenty years been headed by Archbishop Avak Asadourian. Soorp Asdvadzadzin (St. Mary) Church in Baghdad was established in the 17th century, and a replica of the original building stands on its site. It contains some relics from Sebastia from the Church of the Forty Martyrs (Karasoun Manoog). Baghdad has two other churches, Soorp Errortutiun (Holy Trinity) and St. Gregory. The latter holds up to 1,000 people.

Outside of the capital Baghdad, there are four Armenian churches in Iraq, one in each of Kirkuk, Zakho, Mosul and Basra. The Church is Basra suffered slight damage during the recent war but there are no reports of casualties from the Armenian community in Basra, or elsewhere in Iraq. Fifteen Armenian families have left Iraq and moved to Damascus and another twenty families are in Aleppo.

Archbishop Avak, widely respected for his integrity, has been critical of the Coalition forces, "The US is not providing what they are expected to provide under the fourth Geneva Convention. Iraq needs security before democracy and food before freedom." Reflecting on the recent meeting of the World Conference for Religion and Peace, Archbishop Avak commented, "Christianity is very old in Iraq and Christians feel that they have stakes in the country. Christians and Muslims of Iraq have always lived side by side and there has been no religious intolerance except for incidents on an individual basis. Churches and mosques are trying to lead people in the difficult circumstances." To the question on inter-faith relationships, he replied that "Church and Muslim leaders will work together to preserve good relations." As to the way forward, the Archbishop replied, "We need an organized body and lots of good will. Perhaps an international body will be needed after all to preserve good relations between Christians and Muslims."

His message to members of the World Council of Churches was that "the churches across the world should put pressure on the US to fulfill their duties of the 'occupying power'. We should have freedom from disease, from garbage, from sewage, freedom to go wherever we want," he said. "Churches should not meddle with politics. Each church and each mosque should work to fulfill their duties towards their own people, and churches should continue to provide aid to the needy population regardless their religious background." He added that the Middle East Council of Churches should continue to serve as the relief mechanism for the churches in Iraq.

In 1997 President Saddam Hussein donated two pieces of land to the Coptic Orthodox Church. They each comprised some 3000 square metres and were to serve as a church with a hall, classrooms and apartments and a Coptic cemetery.

The June report by Action by Churches Together stated that "Ethnic tension continues in the north of Iraq, mainly resulting from disputes over property. There is concern for Iraq's Christian minority, who has been targeted by rising Islamic radical groups. There have been reports of attacks on both Muslim and Christian women for not wearing the hijab."

Former Armenian Church to be Auctioned

In July it was announced that the building that currently houses the Georgian Officer's House in Akhaltskha and which was once an Armenian church called St. Amenaprgich is shortly to be sold at auction. The Armenian newsaper, Asbarez, quotes "reliable sources" as revealing that the auctioneers have received special instructions not to sell the building to ethnic Armenians or Armenian organizations fearing that the Armenian Apostolic Church may want to reopen the building as a church. In the 1940s, the building was transformed into an Officer's House and it remained so after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The building belongs to the Georgian Ministry of Defense.

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