Ninos Aho

Date: April 27, 2023

Ninos Aho was born in 1945 in a small village in Syria, Gerkeh-Shama. He relocated to Qamishli and later Damascus in pursuit of continuing education.

In 1971, he left Syria and came to the United States. After living in the United States for over 20 years, Ninos, his wife, and their children decided to go back to Syria to support the Assyrian national movement.

In Syria, he had joined the Assyrian Democratic Organization, an organization founded in 1957, in 1961 during an underground convention. The Organization was dedicated to bringing together the various sects of the Assyrian nation and raising awareness of the Assyrian national identity.

This was especially important in various Middle Eastern countries which sought to forcefully eradicate the Assyrian national identity. In an effort to combat Arab nationalist sentiments, he had the local Syriac Orthodox church choirs perform his poetry and disseminate it to the public.

His fame grew as renowned Middle Eastern musicians such as Ninib A. Lahdo and Wadi al-Safi performed his poetry in songs, amplifying its
reach and impact.

In 2013, Ninos Aho succumbed to complications arising from Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and passed away. His funeral was performed in the Syriac Orthodox Church with the attendance of a bishop of the Church of the East. His legacy of both poetry and activism will endure for many years to come.

Written By: Sarah Gawo

Bibliography

“Assyrischer Poet Und Aktivist Ninos Aho Wegen Blutkrebserkrankung Verstorben.”

Bethnahrin, 17 July 2013,
https://bethnahrin.de/2013/07/16/assyrischer-poet-und-aktivist-ninos-aho-wegen-blutkreb serkrankung-verstorben/.

“The New Assyrian Poem by Ninos Aho.” PoemHunter.com, 27 Sept. 2014,
https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-new-assyrian/.

“Ninos Aho: Qeenatha .” Qeenatha.com, https://www.qeenatha.com/artists/NinosAho/359/.

“Ninos Aho: The Great Assyrian Poet.” Ninos Aho | The Great Assyrian Poet, https://www.atour.com/people/20120304a.html.

Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI

Date: March 11, 2023

Mar Benyamin Shimun, Catholicos Patriarch XXI, was born in Qudchanis, Turkey in 1887. His mother, Asyat, was the daughter of a famous Assyrian chieftain, Qamber of Eeil, and his father, Eshai, was born of the patriarchal line of the Church of the East. Growing up, he received an education from a notable Assyrian scholar from the tribe of Tkhooma. During this time, he learned a great deal about politics and diplomacy.

On March 2, 1903, Mar Benyamin was ordained as a Metropolitan. However, after the death of his uncle, Mar Ruel Shimun, Catholicos Patriarch XX, on March 16, 1903, Mar Benyamin was elevated to the Patriarchal throne on March 30, 1903 at the age of 16. Observers noted that he quickly learned how to conduct himself as a mature leader despite his age, as he was aided by his sister, Surma Khanum.

Years after his consecration, World War I began and reverberated throughout the world and the Middle East. The conflicts between various regional powers place the Assyrian nation in a most difficult position, leading to much conflict and atrocities. With much difficulty, Mar Benyamin took it upon himself to lead the Assyrians of Hakkari out into the safety of Urmi, where they joined their brethren.

Also, he helped many Assyrians escape to Russia after having successful negotiations with Tsar Nicolas of Russia for Assyrian settlement in their residential areas. According to Braum and Winkler, Mar Benyamin accomplished “the transfer of 15,000 of his people into the Caucasus, where they founded a new homeland in the present-day states of Armenia and Georgia.” In 1917, Mar Benyamin was decorated by the Russians who wanted to show their appreciation to the Assyrians for helping them in their fight. In 1918, Mar Benyamin was assassinated by a Kurdish officer. He was 31 years old.

Mar Benyamin Shimun, Catholicos Patriarch XXI, embodies the true meaning of a hero. His bravery and courage helped many Assyrians find sanctuary in a very turbulent time in history, and for that, we honor him every year.

Published by: Brian Banyamin

Written by: Sarah Gawo

Bibliography

Baum, William, and Dietmar Winkler. The Church of the East: A Concise History. Routledge, 2003.

“He Lived and Died For His Beloved Assyrian Church & Nation.” Assyrian Enterprise, http://www.assyrianenterprise.com/MiscAnnounc/M.Benyamin/MBenyamin.html.

Shoumanov, Vasili V. The Assyrian Martyr: Mar Benjamin Shimun, Patriarch of the Church of the East. Center for the Assyrian Genocide Studies, 2008.

Shumanov, Vasily. “The Patriarch Mar Binyamin Shimmun a Martyr of the Assyrian Nation & The Church of the East.” Zinda, 15 Mar. 2004, http://www.zindamagazine.com/html/archives/2004/3.15.04/.

SyriacPress. “Today in History: East Syriac Patriarch Mar Shimun Binyamin Murdered by Kurdish Chieftain Simko Agha.” SyriacPress, 3 Mar. 2022, https://syriacpress.com/blog/2022/03/03/today-in-history-east-syriac-patriarch-mar-shimu n-binyamin-murdered-by-kurdish-chieftain-simko-agha/.

Werda, Joel E. “A Short Biography of Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI.” Nineveh, 1981.

The History and Meaning Behind the Assyrian Flag

Date: March 27, 2017

As a tribute to the traditional twelve-day celebration of the Assyrian New Year, we’re sharing unique ways to honor Akitu no matter where you are in the world as we count down the days to Kha b’Nissan 6767.

An easy way to mark the Assyrian New Year: Display the flag. Whether it’s outside your house or on your car: Fly it proudly. Here’s some information on the background and meaning of the Assyrian flag.

Some background

The Assyrian flag was designed by George Bit Atanus in 1968, but it wasn’t until 1971 that it was officially adopted by all Assyrian organizations. The flag’s design bears a white background with a golden (not yellow!) circle at the center, surrounded by a four-pointed star in a light blue—commonly referred to as the Assyrian Star. Four triple-colored, widening, wavy stripes connect the star to the four corners of the flag in red, white, and blue. Above the star sits the ancient Assyrian god Ashur.

What does it mean? 

• Golden circle: Represents the sun, which by its exploding and leaping flames, generates heat and light to sustain the earth and all living things.
• Assyrian star: Symbolizes the land—its light blue color denotes tranquility.
• Stripes: Representation of the three major rivers of Assyria: Tigris, Euphrates, and the Great Zab—in red, blue, and white, respectively. The blood red also stands four courage, glory, and pride. The white symbolizes peace. It is also said that the stripes symbolize the path back to the homeland. 
• Ashur symbol: A tribute to the ancient Assyrians.

Did you know? 

At one point, this was the official Assyrian flag, adopted prior to World War I. Created by the Syriac Orthodox community of Tur Abdin, the flag had three horizontal stripes in salmon, white, and red. On the salmon layer, there were three white stars positioned in the top left corner. These stars represented the three main churches of the Assyrian people: Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, and Syriac Orthodox Church. The flag was used during delegation meetings between Assyrian politicians and Western leaders. This flag was abandoned in favor of Bit Atanus’s design.