SyriacPress English

26/12/2025

Patriarch Sako denies authenticity of audio leak attributed to him regarding a visit to Israel. Al-Sudani announces naming of 'Chaldeans Street'

ARBA’ILO (ARBIL) / BAGHDAD — A number of social media pages circulated an audio recording attributed to Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church and Cardinal in the Catholic Church Mar Louis Raphaël Sako, allegedly containing calls for normalization with Israel and claims that he had visited I...

26/12/2025

Federal Lebanon condemns security breaches in Christian areas, blames Hezbollah and former Syrian regime figures

MOUNT LEBANON, Lebanon — Federal Lebanon issued a statement on Thursday, 25 December 2025, extending Christmas greetings to the Christian population, despite what it described as a situation of dire economics and unstable security conditions. In the statement, Federal Lebanon condemned the blatant...

26/12/2025

Bethnahrin Progressive Youth pays Christmas visit to Archbishop Mar Benedictus Younan Hanno

BAGHDEDE (Qaraqosh), Nineveh Plain — As part of its activities marking the Christmas season, the Bethnahrin Progressive Youth paid a congratulatory visit to Archbishop Mar Benedictus Younan Hanno, head of the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul and its dependencies. During the visit, the youth de...

26/12/2025

Antakya: The Syriac past and present | By Tuma Çelik

By Tuma Çelik | Former Syriac Member of Turkish Parliament for M***e (Mardin) According to ancient sources, Antakya, once home to nearly 300,000 inhabitants, ranked as the third-largest city of the Roman Empire and the fourth-largest city in the world. Founded as Antioch in the early third century ...

25/12/2025

Syriac city of Saddad celebrates Christmas with a grand spectacle

SADDAD, Beth Nahrain — Residents of the Syriac town of Saddad in the Hmoth (Homs) countryside held a celebration on the occasion of Christmas, marked by the lighting of the Christmas tree during a festive carnival held in the town’s neighborhoods. The event was attended by several of the town’...

25/12/2025

Celebration of the Nativity of Jesus Christ in the city of Medyad, Tur Abdin

MEDYAD (MIDYAT), Tur Abdin — Syriac Orthodox priests and faithful from the city of Medyad, Tur Abdin, gathered at the Church of Mart Shmoni to celebrate the Nativity of Jesus Christ. The Christmas prayer service was held with the participation of deacons, and was presided over by Metropolitan of t...

25/12/2025

Children’s activity held alongside Christmas Mass at Mar Gewargis Church in Baghdede

BAGHDEDE, Nineveh Plain — The Bethnahrin Progressive Youth organized a special activity for children in conjunction with the Christmas Mass at Mar Gewargis Church, in an atmosphere filled with joy and happiness that reflected the spiritual and human values associated with the religious occasion. T...

25/12/2025

Cyprus Parliament unanimously condemns Sayfo Genocide

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The Parliament of Cyprus on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing and condemning the Syriac (Aramean-Assyrian- Chaldean), Armenian, and Greek (Rum) “Sayfo” Genocide of 1915, which was perpetrated by Ottman Turks and allied Kurdish tribes, along with the Simele massacre of 1933, marking a significant act of historical acknowledgment and solidarity with one of the Middle East’s oldest Christian communities....

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The Parliament of Cyprus on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing and condemning the Syriac (Aramean-Assyrian- Chaldean), Armenian, and Greek (Rum) “Sayfo” Genocide of 1915, which was perpetrated by Ottman Turks and allied Kurdish tribes, along with the Simele m...

25/12/2025

Turkey’s parliamentary National Unity, Solidarity and Democracy Commission mandate extended by two months

ANKARA — The Turkish Parliament has voted to extend the mandate of a special parliamentary commission by two months, pushing its deadline from 31 December 2025 to March 2026, after members concluded that more time was needed to complete a joint report. The decision was taken unanimously during the commission’s 20th meeting, chaired by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş. The commission, formally known as the National Unity, Solidarity and Democracy Commission, was established as part of what government officials have described as a “new resolution process.” Its original mandate was set to expire at the end of this year....

ANKARA — The Turkish Parliament has voted to extend the mandate of a special parliamentary commission by two months, pushing its deadline from 31 December 2025 to March 2026, after members concluded that more time was needed to complete a joint report. The decision was taken unanimously during the...

25/12/2025

European Syriac Union: Official recognition of Christmas is a requirement of equal citizenship

BRUSSELS — The European Syriac Union (ESU) has renewed calls for Christmas to be recognized as an official public holiday in Turkey, arguing that the celebration is not only a religious observance but also a reflection of equal citizenship in a pluralistic society. In an interview with Mehmet Murat Yıldırım, ESU’s Shleymun Elber Rhawi said that Christmas (Yaldo), marking the birth of Jesus Christ, represents a moral and historical legacy rooted in love, peace, and nonviolent resistance....

BRUSSELS — The European Syriac Union (ESU) has renewed calls for Christmas to be recognized as an official public holiday in Turkey, arguing that the celebration is not only a religious observance but also a reflection of equal citizenship in a pluralistic society. In an interview with Mehmet Mura...

25/12/2025

Syriac and Levantine groups mark Christmas with calls for unity in a post-Assad Syria

Syria — Across Syria and the diaspora, Syriac (Aramean-Assyrian-Chaldean), Christian, and national political bodies marked Christmas this year with a mix of solemn remembrance and cautious hope, framing the holiday as both a spiritual observance and a political milestone in a country navigating life after the fall of Assad’s dictatorial regime. In statements released on Christmas Day, military councils, political parties, and civil institutions emphasized unity, national responsibility, and the rule of law, while honoring those killed in years of conflict and calling for a future built on equality and dignity....

Syria — Across Syria and the diaspora, Syriac (Aramean-Assyrian-Chaldean), Christian, and national political bodies marked Christmas this year with a mix of solemn remembrance and cautious hope, framing the holiday as both a spiritual observance and a political milestone in a country navigating li...

25/12/2025

We at SyriacPress wish all who celebrate a Merry Christmas 🎄