Servant of God

 Nineveh Fast Three Days Nineveh Fast which is also known as Rogation of the Ninevites. This sacred Fast is Only practiced by Syriac Christians. The Syrian Orthodox Church can trace the origin of the Nineveh Fast to the fourth century AD. The hymns and Memras of St. Ephrem, the Syrian, indicate this. This Fast used to last six days in the early centuries,( 3 days Rogation of the Ninevites + Fast of Virgins)  but it is now only three days long, beginning on the third Monday before the Great Lent (18 days gap). Through the ages, the three-day fast had fallen by the wayside. According to Mor Dionysius Bar Salibi, it was Mor Marutha Maphriana of Tikrit, who ruled from 565 to 649 and mandated it to be kept by the Church as a canonical fast. A similar reference is in the book "Scattered Pearls" by His Holiness Patriarch Aprem Bursom. When coming to Malankara, there is ample proof that this fast was observed in Kerala as early as the 15th century with the utmost reverence and fear. ...

A Special Ritual of Theophany/Epiphany (ദനഹാ പെരുന്നാൾ)  In the Syriac Orthodox Church, a beautiful ritual is performed on the day of Holy Theophany. One of the acolytes donning a white cloth over his head and walks backward before the celebrant carrying the water for the service of Danaha. While Jesus' baptism is symbolized by this procedure. The person with the white cloth over his head represents John the Baptist. Gospel according to Saint John 3:30 helps us to understand the significance of this ritual, that the person walking backward ahead of the celebrant, “He must increase, but I must decrease".John the Baptist's mission in this world was to proclaim Jesus Christ, not himself. Sharing a few images from the holy epiphany ceremony that His Holiness the Patriarch led in the patriarchal cathedral in Damascus, Syria. 

Theophany/ Epiphany (ദനഹാ) The word "Theophany" originates from the Greek word "Theophania" which means "God's Manifestation", while Epiphany implies "Manifestation from Above". Therefore, both are manifestations. Theophany is the term we use in the Orthodox Church to mark the baptism of our Lord and the manifestation of the Trinity that followed it. All of the celebrations of our Lord Jesus Christ's incarnation are typically referred to together as "Epiphany" (Nativity, Circumcision etc). According to the Syriac Orthodox Church's liturgical calendar, *January 6* is the Feast day of the Theophany (in Syriac, as well as in Malayalam, this is referred to as “Denho/Denha”). It is one of the three main festivals of the Syriac Church from the fourth century, together with Easter and Pentecost. This is also the event that replaced circumcision. In earlier times, the Syriac Church commemorated Jesus' birth (Nativity) also durin...

A Divine Choice   His Holiness Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II God always chooses the right leaders from time to time, amid persecution and crises, to guide and lead the Holy Syriac Orthodox Church. The selection of His Eminence Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, the then patriarchal vicar of the Eastern United States, Archbishop, as the 123rd Patriarch of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch and all the East was the most amazing divine selection in the contemporary history of the church.  Like Saint Ignatius Noorono, the predecessor, young Saide Karim the youngest son of Mr Issa Kariam and Mrs Khanema Hanna from the village of Qamishli Syria responded to the divine call and dedicated his life to our Lord and Savior from his early childhood. In 1982, at the age of 18, he began his pilgrimage to  Holy Priesthood. It proves that God often chose people to serve His Holy church in their childhood.    He began his service to the Holy Church by assisting His Em...

    Holy Sanctuary (Madbaha) The Syriac word "Madbaho" connotes the Place of Sacrifice. It is the elevated place where the Holy Thronos (the Altar) is positioned and the Most Holy Place in the liturgical life of a Syrian Christian.  In the Syriac Orthodox Church (SOC), Holy Madbaha, on the eastern side of the church,  is the symbol of Heaven. The Garden of Eden in the Holy Scriptures is in the East (Genesis 2:8) . The expelled Adam and Eve (Mankind) yearn to attain Paradise and to return to the Light (God) and hence we pray facing eastward and the Second Coming of our Lord is believed to be from the East and the  Church prayerfully awaits His Second Coming hence the Church fathers insists that the Madbaha should be on the eastern side of the church.  It is from the Jewish tradition that all Apostolic Churches imbibe the holiness of the Place of Sacrifice. For all Churches, Madbaha is the holiest. For the same reason, the eastern Churches, veil the Madb...