His Holiness, Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI (1887-1918)

He Lived and Died For His Beloved Assyrian Nation
A Brief History of the late His Holiness, Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI, Martyr at age 31.
by Shamasha Gewargis Atoraya Bet-Simon

Posted: Monday, April 05, 2010 at 03:25 PM UT

His Holiness, Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI (1887-1918)

Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI, Catholicos Patriarch of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East was born on 1887 in Qudshanis, Turkey. His father's name was Eshai, a blood member of the Patriarchal family, and his mother's name was Asyat, the daughter of Qambar of Eill.

He was ordained Archbishop on March 2, 1903 by the hand of his uncle Mar Rueil Shimun XX Patriarch. Fourteen days later Mar Rueil past away, and a unanimous decision was taken by the church Hierarchy and Mar Benyamin was elevated to the exalted rank of Catholic Patriarch on March 30, 1903, by the hands of His Beatitude Mar Iskhaq Khnaneeshoo, Metropolitan of Rustaga, Shamisdin, who was accompanied by Mar Estapanoos, Bishop of Gawar, in the church of Mar Shaleeta which was built in the year 1689.

Mar Benyamin Shimun was tricked and assassinated while on a peace mission, by the devious and cowardice Simko (a Kurdish leader). Mar Benyamin received the crown of martyrdom on March 3, 1918, he was only 31 years old. He had succeeded his predecessor at the age of eighteen, and for fifteen years had occupied the patriarchal See at Qudshanis.

His soul will never rest in peace unless his people which he loved so dearly, and led during the times of crisis, achieve their God given rights of self determination and security in a homeland that they can proudly call their own.

On October 18th, 1987, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East decreed that a commemoration of Mar Benyamin Shimun shall be observed yearly by the Assyrian Church of the East throughout the world, on the first Sunday that falls before the Sunday entering in, or beginning of the Lent (Soma Goora).

“A good shepherd risks his life for the sake of his sheep. But the hired person who is not the shepherd and who is not the owner of the sheep, when sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and runs away.” — † John 10:11

“There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for the sake of his friends.” — † John 15:13
Photograph

His Holiness, Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI
138th Catholicos Patriarch of the Church of the East

1918: Our Smallest Ally: A Brief Account of the Assyrian Nation during the Great War by Dr. William A. Wigram
1916: Death of a Nation by Abraham Yohannan | Bio
1916: The Pitiful Plight of the Assyrian Christians by William Rockwell

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