Officially named the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, the Assyrian Church of the East is an Eastern Christian Church that follows the traditional Christology and ecclesiology of the Church of the East. The Assyrian Church of the East is part of the eastern branch of Syriac Christianity. The Church uses the East Syrian Rite in its liturgy, its most common spoken language is Syriac, a dialect of Eastern Aramaic, and most of its adherents are ethnic Assyrians. Headquartered in Erbil, in northern Iraq, its original area was ancient Assyria, which spreads into what is now eastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, and northwestern Iran. Members of the Assyrian Church of the East are sometimes known as Nestorians, as they are the descendants of Nestorius of Constantinople, who taught that Jesus Christ was two conjoined persons: God the Son (the Word) and the man, Jesus. According to Nestorian beliefs, Jesus was the habitation of the Word, and that it was Jesus alone who was born of the Virgin Mary, and that it was Jesus, and not the Word, who died upon the cross. Controversy surrounding the teachings of Nestorius had to do with the use of the title, Theotokos, or mother of God, which was used of the Virgin Mary. Because Nestorius rejected this, he was condemned by Pope Saint Celestine I, and by the 3rd Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431, a condemnation that was later confirmed by the Council of Chalcedon in 451. The Assyrian Church of the East adopted these teachings of Nestorius and, for that reason, fell out of communion with Rome, declaring itself to be independent in 425. The Church considers itself to be the continuation of the Church of the East, as developed among the Assyrians during the 1st Century AD. It is an Apostolic Church established by Thomas the Apostle, Thaddeus of Edessa, and Bartholomew the Apostle. Saint Peter acknowledged the Syrian Church in 1 Peter 5:13, when he wrote, “The elect church which is in Babylon, salutes you; and Mark, my son.” The liturgy of the Church is that of the Holy Apostles of Addai and Mari, and the Assyrian Church of the East practices the seven traditional sacraments (baptism, ordination, eucharist, anointing, absolution, holy leaven, sign of the cross). In 1994, Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Mar Dinkha came to a new understanding and interpretation of Nestorian Christology which affirmed that Roman Catholics and the Assyrian Church are united in the confession of the same faith in the Son of God, and doors to further cooperation were opened. Currently, the Assyrian Church of the East is headquartered in the United States, as the Nestorian Patriarch Mar Simon XXIII was forced to flee to the United States, where he was assassinated in 1975. The current Patriarch resides in Morton Grove, Illinois. Church members can be found in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, North America, England, Sweden, Australia, and India.
Recommended Resources
Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East
The official web site of the worldwide Church features information about the the Assyrian Church of the East Relief Organization, as well as news of the Church, in English and in Syriac. Resources include a directory of dioceses throughout the world, several educational and informational articles, and a bi-monthly socio-religious magazine, "Voice of the East," published by the Assyrian Church of the East.
https://assyrianchurch.org/
Holy Apostolic Church of the East, India
The Holy Apostolic and Catholic Assyrian Church of the East traces its origins to the See of Babylon, said to have been founded by Saint Thomas the Apostle. In India, it is known as the Chaldean Syrian Church, while in the West, it is known as the Nestorian Church. The story of the Church's work in India is told. The official site of the Church in India offers a profile of the Church, its clergy, parishes, and affiliated institutions.
http://www.churchoftheeastindia.org/
The San Jose, California parish is part of the Diocese of California of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, a parish that was established by men and women of Assyrian descent. A history of the parish and larger Church, an overview of its apostolic origins, and its organizational structure is put forth, along with a parish bulletin, calendar of events, photo gallery, and video archive are included.
http://www.maryosipparish.org/
St. Andrew's Parish is situated on North Milwaukee Avenue in Glenview, Illinois. Directions and a map show the location of the church, and administrative and leadership contacts and office hours are posted to the site. Affiliated with the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, the parish site features a directory of other Assyrian Church of the East institutions and dioceses. Other resources include a gallery of photographs. Portions are available in English and Assyrian.
http://www.standrewsassyrianchurch.com/
Located in Los Angeles, California, St. Mary's is a parish of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. The Church Father, deacons, and other church officials and administrative personnel are posted, directions, a schedule of events, and a calendar of upcoming programs are included. Other resources include several articles on various topics, educational resources, and services.
http://stmaryassyrianchurch.com/
Located in Glendale, Arizona, the parish is part of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. A gallery of photographs depict the parish buildings, leadership and membership. Other highlights include a schedule of programs and ministries, a calendar of upcoming events, and a overview of its ministries to youth and others, leadership contacts, a map showing its location, and announcements.
http://www.stpeteraz.com/
