Patriarch Mor Ignatius Ya`qub III, Damascus (1980)

Patriarch Mor Ignatius Ya`qub III, Damascus (1980)

June 25th is the anniversary of the demise of the thrice blessed late Patriarch HH Moran Mor Ignatius Yac'ub III +1980 of blessed memory. He was the 121st Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. Yac'ub was born on 13th October 1912 to Touma & Shmuni in Bartle (Bartella) village near Mosul Iraq. At 11 years of age, he joined Dayro d-Mor Mattai & in 1929 he was ordained apodyaqno by thrice blessed Patriarch St. Ignatius Elias III. In 1931 he was ordained dayroyo by thrice blessed late Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum. He accompanied late Mor Yulios Elias Qoro, Patriarchal delegate to India. Dayroyo Sleeba was ordained Raban by Mor Yulios & served as malfono at Dayro d-Mor Ignatius in Manjinikkara. In 1946 he returned to Mosul, taking over the charge of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary. He was later ordained as Bishop Severios Yac'ub for the diocese of Beirut & Damascus by HH Mor Ignatius Aphrem I in 1950. After the demise of Aphrem I, Severios was enthroned as HH Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Yac'ub III on October 27th 1957. He immediately worked to broker peace in Malankara, & even though the Patriarchal faction won the case, his Apostolic Bull No 82 calling for peace was read in all churches. He accepted Catholicos Baselios Geevarghese II vis Apostolic Bull No. 497. After the death of Geevarghese II, HH Mor Ignatius Yac'ub III consecrated Mor Timotheos Augen as legitimate Catholicos in 1964. Sadly, the period of peace broke down once again due to the underhanded & sinful nature of those who sought only power. The Church in Malankara was again split in two. Augen I & his rebellious followers were excommunicated. Subsequently, Mor Philoxenus was consecrated as Catholicos Mor Baselius Paulose II by Mor Ignatius Yac'ub III in Damascus on September 7th 1975. He was skilled in & knowledgeable about Syriac music. Arguably the most knowledgeable in modern times being refered to as nightingale by late HH Mor Ignatius Zakka I. Yac'ub III was endowed with a sharp memory that enabled him to memorize over 700 melodies of the Beth Gazo including variants (Shuhlophe). His recordings are considered the authoritative source on the Mardin tradition of music (though HH himself also mastered his native Tikrit school as well). HH was also a scholar & prolific writer. He wrote more than 30 thirty books about history, spirituality & liturgy including a 'History of the Church until the 6th century', 'History of the Syrian Church in India', a comparative study of Syriac & Arabic languages, & biographies of Mor Ephrem, Mor Philoxenus of Mabbug, & Mor Ya`qub of Serugh. His lecture on the Syrian Orthodox Church at the University of Goettingen in 1971 is considered an authoritative source by students of the Church & others. HH met the Roman Catholic Pope twice in 1971 & 1980 leading to two historic joint declarations being signed. He took initiative to join the World Council of Churches, sending priests & bishops for higher studies & theological conferences across the world to share & spread the glory of the Syriac Orthodox Church. HH Mor Yac'ub III departed for the heavenly abode on 26th June 1980. On 28th June the mortal remains were entombed at the St. George Cathedral, Damascus. His mortal remains were transferred from St. George Cathedral Damascus to Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral, Mor Aphrem Monastery, Ma’rat Saydnaya on 29 June 2016. On account of the Apostles Fast beginning on June 26th, the feast of HH is celebrated on 25 June. Biography courtesy, 'Martyrs, Saints and Prelates of the Syriac Orthodox Church' Barekmor Moran! Zel bashlomo Kumran Rabo! Plead for us before God's throne of grace. Amen http://sor.cua.edu/Personage/PYacqub3/index.html Transfer of remains: http://syriacpatriarchate.org/2016/06/transfer-of-the-remains-of-patriarch-mor-ignatius-yacoub-iii/