Back to News PageOn Sunday, January 2, 2000, His Holiness Mar Kh'nanya Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East officiated Qurbana Qadeesha, "Holy Communion" at Mar Yosip "St. Joseph" Assyrian Church of the East in San Jose, California where there was standing room only at the church as well as at the awana, church hall. During the service, H.H. expressed his wish to his brother's family and others that they not wear the black that has been a tradition in the Assyrian community since the beginning. He delivered a wonderful and powerful sermon on the truth behind Christmas which surrounds the birth of our savior Jesus Christ the only son of GOD and his promise that only through him we can spend eternity in heaven with GOD.
After the Holy Communion when the crowd went into the awana, "Hall" where Assyrian breakfast was served. H.H. Mar Dinkha delivered a report on his latest visit to the homeland. Early this month, December 1999, H.H. flew to London, England then to Amman, Jordan and then took a bus ride to Tel Tammar, Syria. There, along with H.H. Bishop Mar. Narsai of Lebanon and H.H. Bishop Mar Meelis of Australia visited Assryians from the 33 towns in the Tel Tammar area. During this visit they met with H.H. Bishop Mar Zaka of the Syrian Orthodox Church they also met with Zia Malik Ismail who is an Assyrian representative in the Syrian government, as well as General Qoryaqos the well known Assyrian in the Syrian Army.
After a few days stay H.H. was on his way to Iraq where he was met by H.H. Mar Giwargis and Mar Sargis of Iraq at the city of Falloojah and then H.H. went on his way to Baghdad where he received a very warm welcome by the Assyrians of Baghdad as well as Assyrians from all around Iraq including the north; and he was also greeted by officials of the Iraqi government.
On Nov 21st H.H. Met with all the church leaders and the following day he joined a celebration held by the Vatican representative in Baghdad, of H.H. the Pope; this was held at the Mar. Giwargis church in Baghdad. On Nov 30th H.H. traveled to the city of Kirkuk and met with the Assyrian community there and from there he went to Arbil on Dec 1st and then to Diyana then to Batas and Salah Al-Deen and to Ain Kawa where he met Assyrians and Chaldeans on Dec 2nd.
On Dec 3rd H.H. returned to Arbil then went on to Mosul and stayed at the Nineveh Hotel, and the following day he traveled to Tel Keif and then on to Sharafiya where there are 70 Assyrian homes and next went to AlQush. On the 5th of December 1999 H.H. traveled back to Mosul then Dohuk and back to Mosul and then to Baghdad. In Baghdad, on Dec 7th, he visited the Mar Qardakh church and me with Assyrians there. The following day, Dec 8th, H.H. was on his way back where he stopped in Jordan and officiated service to Assyrians at the Syrian Orthodox Church where Assyrians have been attending since there is no Assyrian Church of the East in Jordan. On Dec 9, H.H. was on his way back to London England and finally arrived Chicago on Dec 16th 1999.
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