The NCCA appreciated the kind invitation from His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia AM and the community of the Assyrian Church of the East, for the opportunity to meet His Holiness Mar Awa III at two events.

His Holiness Patriarch Mar Awa III (born David Royel) was born in Chicago on July 4, 1974, to the late Korosh Ezaria Royel and the late Florence Awikam Shmoel Khan. He was baptised at the St. Mar Sargis church in Chicago, on November 23, 1975.

He was ordained as a priest on May 23, 1999 (Feast of the Pentecost) by the late His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch, at the patriarchal cathedral of St. George in Chicago.

The patriarch was a member of the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue Between Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East since 2009.

He was also co-chair of the Bilateral Dialogue Between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East since 2016. 

The patriarch is now a permanent in Erbil, (KRG), Iraq, with headquarters at St. John the Baptist Patriarchal Cathedral, Erbil. 

Reception with Catholicos-Patriarch 

Above left and right: His Holiness Mar Awa III

Above: His Holiness and dignitaries at the reception.		Above L-R: Fr Shenouda Mansour (NSWE), His Holiness, Liz Stone (NCCA(, Wies Schuringa (NSWEC) and His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia AM

	Above:

Theological symposium

The Theological Symposium was held on Saturday 28 May 2022 and held on the Campbelltown Campus of the Western Sydney University. His Holiness Mar Awa III was the keynote speaker for the evening.

The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East 

The history of the Church spans many centuries and its foundations can be traced to the first decades of the Apostolic times. The Church was established by the same Apostles that established the Church in Jerusalem and was a continuation of the Holy See of Jerusalem. 

"According to the Apostolic Succession of the Assyrian Church of the Eat, the Apostles who established the Church of the East and served on the See of Seleucia-Ctesiphon were: St Simon Peter (who wrote his epistle from Babylon 1 Peter 5:3), St Thomas, St Bartholomew, Mar Addai (St Thaddaeus) and Mar Mari (from the seventy disciples)." Bishop Mar Beyamin Elya, at the opening of St. Nisbis College.

By the end of the ninth century, the Church had grown to cover eastern Asia, China, India, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. 

Assyrian Church members today, can be found in America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand having fled their homelands due to persecution. Of those that remain in the Middle East, many have now become refugees.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The NCCA prays for the Assyrian Church, its leaders and its community. Separated by great distances, having endured persecution and loss of homelands, they continue to preserve their unique culture and faith. We pray that God will continue to enrich the Church.