(AFP) -- Syriac, an ancient dialect of Aramaic, has traditionally been the language spoken by Christians in Iraq and neighbouring Syria, mostly in homes but also in some schools and during church services. However, Syriac-speaking communities in the two countries have declined over the years, owing to decades of conflict driving many to seek homes in safer countries.
Mosul, Iraq (AINA) -- Photos taken on April 20 show Kurdish armed forces conducting military exercises on an Assyrian archaeological site dated to 800 BC. The site is Sennacherib's Aqueduct, located north of Mosul at Jerwan, and is the oldest known aqueduct in the world.
In his new book "Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World's First Empire" (Basic Books), Yale professor Eckart Frahm offers a comprehensive history of the ancient civilization (circa 2025 BC to 609 BC) that would become a model for the world's later empires.
Although the number of Christians in Iraq continues to be low, there are signs of rebirth of the Church in areas that were severely impacted by the Islamic State group's rule there almost a decade ago. On a recent visit to the United States, Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda outlined ways in which the Church is overcoming the struggles brought about by the ISIS reign of terror.
Tehran -- The Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, Mar Awa III, praised Iran for fighting against the Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorists in Iraq and Syria in defense of humanity and faith.
Eleven different European countries, together with the European Union, released a statement on Sunday evening affirming their support for Iraq's Patriarch Louis Raphaël Sako. The Patriarch -- who heads the country's Chaldean Church, and was made a Cardinal by Pope Francis in 2018 -- is facing criticism over comments concerning political representation for Iraq's ancient Christian minority.
(BBC) -- The deliberate cultural vandalism committed by Islamic State (IS) militants shocked and appalled the world after they took over Mosul in Iraq in 2014. Now, the restoration of the recaptured city's iconic museum, heavily damaged by arson, bombing and looting, has become emblematic of its rebirth.
Australia's State of Tasmania has recognized the Armenian Genocide, reports the Armenian National Committee of Australia. The Tasmanian House of Assembly today adopted a historic motion to recognize the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides. Tasmania thus becomes the third Australian state after South Australia and New South Wales to recognize the genocide.
Baghdad -- As the recovery of Iraqi cultural treasures and antiquities from abroad continues, the Iraqi President, Abdul Latif Rashid, decided on Sunday to return thousands of Iraqi artifacts that Britain had borrowed.
Experts in Assyriology -- who specialize in the archaeological, historical, cultural and linguistic study of Assyria and the rest of ancient Mesopotamia (Iraq) --spend many years painstakingly trying to understand Akkadian texts written in cuneiform, one of the oldest forms of writing known.
Led by the new President of the Federation of Pontian Associations of Australia, Mrs Esta Paschalidis-Chilas, members of the Pontoxeniteas and Panayia Soumela associations of NSW joined Armenian and Assyrian Australians in a March for Justice on Sunday, April 23.
Many welcomed President Joe Biden's recognition of the Armenian genocide on April 24, 2021. In a rare move, the president stood up to Turkish lobbyists and the Turkish government in recognizing what was a bloody period in human history. "We honor the victims so that the horrors of what happened are never lost to history," the president said.
Mosul, Iraq (AINA) -- Photos taken on April 20 show Kurdish armed forces conducting military exercises on an Assyrian archaeological site dated to 800 BC. The site is Sennacherib's Aqueduct, located north of Mosul at Jerwan, and is the oldest known aqueduct in the world.
(AINA) -- Why do the various social and political impediments throughout the years still continue to paralyze an entire nation? Why are the embittered divisions sewn between the ranks of churches, parties, and factionalists unable to be healed? And most importantly, to the question that every Assyrian asks: why does the situation only continuously worsen? Can no solutions or plans be enacted by...
(AINA) -- In early December, Patriarch Awa spoke on the possible reunification of the Assyrian and Chaldean Churches, expressing opposition to any form of "uniatism" in the process. Patriarch Sako responded first on December 31 and then more fully on February 28.
(AINA) -- In December, Patriarch Awa spoke of the possible reunification of Assyrians and Chaldeans within one Church of the East. He also mentioned an objection to the union that must be addressed first: uniatism. His words were reported as follows: With the Chaldeans, who are certainly our brothers, we are always ready to talk about unity and reunification in a single Church of the East.
During the years of World War I 75% (750,000) of the Assyrian population in the Ottoman Empire was systematically murdered. That genocide of Assyrians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in 1915 is a fact, but it has largely been forgotten by the world.
(AINA) -- When speaking about the Ottoman Empire and Turkey today, it is not their contribution to civilization that comes to mind. Instead it is human rights violations, confiscation of land and property, genocide and genocide denials that are most frequently discussed in the public discourse. Today's Turkey is still far from being ruled by democratic principles.
Experts in Assyriology -- who specialize in the archaeological, historical, cultural and linguistic study of Assyria and the rest of ancient Mesopotamia (Iraq) --spend many years painstakingly trying to understand Akkadian texts written in cuneiform, one of the oldest forms of writing known.
About 1,300 years ago a scribe in Palestine took a book of the Gospels inscribed with a Syriac text and erased it. Parchment was scarce in the desert in the Middle Ages, so manuscripts were often erased and reused.