Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
Encyclopedia
Ignatius Zakka I Iwas is the 122nd reigning Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and as such, Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church
. Also known by his traditional episcopal name, Severios, he was enthroned as patriarch on 14 September 1980 in St. George's Patriarchal Cathedral
in Damascus
. He succeeded Ignatius Ya`qub III. As is traditional for the head of the church, Severios has adopted the name Ignatius.
Severios is known for his involvement in ecumenical dialogue
. He is a president of the World Council of Churches
and is also a prolific author. He was an observer at Second Vatican Council
before becoming metropolitan bishop
of Mosul. At the time of his election as patriarch, Iwas had been archbishop
of Baghdad
and Basra
.
As patriarch, he established a monastic seminary, met with John Paul II during the Roman pope's
trip to Syria in 2001, and installed numerous metropolitans, including Baselios Thomas I as Catholicos of India
. He celebrated his Silver Jubilee
in 2005.
, Iraq
. His parents named him Sanharib Iwas at birth, after the ancient Assyria
n King and Christian convert Sennacherib II
. He completed his elementary studies at the school of Our Lady's Parish and was transferred to St. Thomas Syriac Orthodox Church
School, both in Mosul. In 1946, he began his theological studies in the city's Mor Ephrem seminary. At the seminary, his birth name was replaced by the name Zakka. There, in 1948, he was ordained as a deacon
with the rank of Reader. In the year 1953, he was promoted to the rank of half-deacon. The following year saw Severios take monastic vows. He left Mosul at that time to become secretary to the patriarchs Afram Barsoum
and then Ya`qub III. In 1955 he was promoted to the rank of deacon.
On 17 November 1957, Patriarch Ya`qub III ordained him a priest
, and, two years later, gave him the pectoral cross
as rabban
. In 1960, Severios pursued further study in New York
. There he studied oriental languages and completed a master's degree
in English at City University
, and a further master's in pastoral theology at the General Theological Seminary
.
In 1962 and 1963, he was delegated by the patriarch as observer at Second Vatican Council
. On 17 November 1963, Severios was ordained, by Patriarch Ya`qub III, as metropolitan bishop
of Mosul. As is the tradition in the church, he took an episcopal name, Severios. The next year, during renovation work on the sancturary wall of the metropolitan church in Mosul, what were reputed to be the remains of the Apostle Thomas were found. In 1969, Severios was transferred to be archbishop
of Baghdad
and Basra
. Nine years later, he was given additional responsibility for the new diocese of Australia.
Following the death of Patriarch Ya`qub III on 25 June 1980, Severios was elected by the synod
of the church to be the 122nd Syriac Patriarch of Antioch. He was enthroned as patriarch on 14 September, the feast of the Cross
, by Baselios Paulose II, Catholicos of the East
, in St. George's Patriarchal Cathedral
in Damascus
. As is traditional for the head of the church, he adopted the name Ignatius at this time. Being the first patriarch to be named Zakka, his name is often written as Ignatius Zakka I Iwas. His full titulary is:
As Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I, he has been involved in ecumenical dialogue
, and is a president of the World Council of Churches
. The Chalcedonian schism
is not seen to have great relevance any more, and from dialogue with the Roman pope
, a reconciling declaration emerged that stated, in part:
Severios is a member in different Eastern and Western Academies and has authored a number of books on Christian education, theology, history and culture in Syriac, and the Arabic and English languages. He established a monastic seminary, the Monastery of St. Ephrem The Syrian, at Marret Saidnaya
. Inaugurated on 14 September 1996, this Monastery forms part of a larger project which will include different centers and facilities. During the visit of John Paul II to Syria in 2001, the pope paid an historic visit to Severios in Damascus. The meeting took place on 6 May in Saint George's Patriarchal Cathedral at Bab Touma. The following year, Severios installed Dionysius Thomas, the president of the Episcopal Synod of Indian Church, as the Catholicos of India with the title Baselios Thomas I. Celebrations were held for his Silver Jubilee
on 14 September 2005.
Syriac Orthodox Church
The Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
. Also known by his traditional episcopal name, Severios, he was enthroned as patriarch on 14 September 1980 in St. George's Patriarchal Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. He succeeded Ignatius Ya`qub III. As is traditional for the head of the church, Severios has adopted the name Ignatius.
Severios is known for his involvement in ecumenical dialogue
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
. He is a president of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
and is also a prolific author. He was an observer at Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
before becoming metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Mosul. At the time of his election as patriarch, Iwas had been archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
.
As patriarch, he established a monastic seminary, met with John Paul II during the Roman pope's
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
trip to Syria in 2001, and installed numerous metropolitans, including Baselios Thomas I as Catholicos of India
Catholicos of India (title)
Catholicos of India is an ecclesiastical office in the Syriac Orthodox Church, the head of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in Kerala, India. Its holder bears the titles of Catholicos and Maphrian, and functions at an ecclesiastical rank second to the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch...
. He celebrated his Silver Jubilee
Silver Jubilee
A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...
in 2005.
Early life and studies
Severios was born on 21 April 1933 in MosulMosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. His parents named him Sanharib Iwas at birth, after the ancient Assyria
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n King and Christian convert Sennacherib II
Sennacherib II
Sennacherib II, or more commonly, Sanharib, was an Assyrian king of northern Asuristan in 372 AD. Much like Julian the Apostate of the Roman Empire, Sanharib disliked Christianity and tried to persuade his son Behnam to reject Christianity. Although greatly influenced by the Persian Zoroastrian...
. He completed his elementary studies at the school of Our Lady's Parish and was transferred to St. Thomas Syriac Orthodox Church
Syriac Orthodox Church
The Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
School, both in Mosul. In 1946, he began his theological studies in the city's Mor Ephrem seminary. At the seminary, his birth name was replaced by the name Zakka. There, in 1948, he was ordained as a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
with the rank of Reader. In the year 1953, he was promoted to the rank of half-deacon. The following year saw Severios take monastic vows. He left Mosul at that time to become secretary to the patriarchs Afram Barsoum
Ignatius Afram I Barsoum
Ignatius Afram I Barsoum was the 120th Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and head of the Syriac Orthodox Church. He wrote, translated and published many works all of which are very scholarly. He wrote books on the tradition, liturgy, music, and history of Syriac Orthodox Church.Patriarch Mor...
and then Ya`qub III. In 1955 he was promoted to the rank of deacon.
On 17 November 1957, Patriarch Ya`qub III ordained him a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, and, two years later, gave him the pectoral cross
Pectoral cross
A pectoral cross or pectorale is a cross, usually relatively large, suspended from the neck by a cord or chain that reaches well down the chest. It is worn by the clergy as an indication of their position, and is different from the small crosses worn on necklaces by many Christians, which have no...
as rabban
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
. In 1960, Severios pursued further study in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. There he studied oriental languages and completed a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in English at City University
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
, and a further master's in pastoral theology at the General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
.
Metropolitan bishop and patriarch
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. On 17 November 1963, Severios was ordained, by Patriarch Ya`qub III, as metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Mosul. As is the tradition in the church, he took an episcopal name, Severios. The next year, during renovation work on the sancturary wall of the metropolitan church in Mosul, what were reputed to be the remains of the Apostle Thomas were found. In 1969, Severios was transferred to be archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
. Nine years later, he was given additional responsibility for the new diocese of Australia.
Following the death of Patriarch Ya`qub III on 25 June 1980, Severios was elected by the synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of the church to be the 122nd Syriac Patriarch of Antioch. He was enthroned as patriarch on 14 September, the feast of the Cross
Feast of the Cross
In the Christian liturgical calendar, there are several different Feasts of the Cross, all of which commemorate the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus....
, by Baselios Paulose II, Catholicos of the East
Catholicos of the East
Catholicos of the East is an ecclesiastical title used historically by the Church of the East and the Syriac Orthodox Church, and now used in successor churches. The title Catholicos, or "universal leader", is used in several Eastern Christian churches and implies a degree of sovereignty and...
, in St. George's Patriarchal Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. As is traditional for the head of the church, he adopted the name Ignatius at this time. Being the first patriarch to be named Zakka, his name is often written as Ignatius Zakka I Iwas. His full titulary is:
- transliterationTransliterationTransliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
: - EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
: His Holiness Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of AntiochPatriarch of AntiochPatriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the Bishop of Antioch. As the traditional "overseer" of the first gentile Christian community, the position has been of prime importance in the church from its earliest period...
and All the East, and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox ChurchSyriac Orthodox ChurchThe Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
As Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I, he has been involved in ecumenical dialogue
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
, and is a president of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
. The Chalcedonian schism
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
is not seen to have great relevance any more, and from dialogue with the Roman pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, a reconciling declaration emerged that stated, in part:
Severios is a member in different Eastern and Western Academies and has authored a number of books on Christian education, theology, history and culture in Syriac, and the Arabic and English languages. He established a monastic seminary, the Monastery of St. Ephrem The Syrian, at Marret Saidnaya
Saidnaya
Saidnaya is a city located in the mountains, 1500 metres above sea level, north of the city of Damascus in Syria and was one of the episcopal cities of the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch...
. Inaugurated on 14 September 1996, this Monastery forms part of a larger project which will include different centers and facilities. During the visit of John Paul II to Syria in 2001, the pope paid an historic visit to Severios in Damascus. The meeting took place on 6 May in Saint George's Patriarchal Cathedral at Bab Touma. The following year, Severios installed Dionysius Thomas, the president of the Episcopal Synod of Indian Church, as the Catholicos of India with the title Baselios Thomas I. Celebrations were held for his Silver Jubilee
Silver Jubilee
A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...
on 14 September 2005.
See also
- List of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch
- Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church
- Ignatius Elias IIIIgnatius Elias IIIMor Ignatius Elias III was the 119th Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch from 1917 to 1932. He died and is buried at the monastery of Manjanikkara Dayara in Kerala, India, where there is a considerable number of Syriac Orthodox Christians...