(AINA) -- The head of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East, Patriarch Khaninia Dinkha IV, has called for a three day fast for the Assyrians of Iraq and Syria, who have become refugees in their own lands. 200,000 Assyrians have fled their homes because of ISIS and are now living in church courtyards, refugees camps, abandoned and unfinished buildings, open fields and sidewalks -- in Ankawa, Arbel and Dohuk and its surrounding areas.

The Patriarch called for a special observance of the Rogation of the Ninevites. The Patriarch's statement reads:

To all the people of our sacred church and our Assyrian nation
Please accept our prayers and blessings

As you always hear us say, "We do not have the power and we have no helper only God the Father, who every time we call on him and ask him in our prayers, he responds to us with His mercy and intercession and saves us from all difficulties and tragedies.

Today, as you can see and hear about the Middle East, all the people in that region have fallen under abnormal conditions, including our Assyrian people in Iraq and Syria.

Here we ask all of you, just as your fathers did in Nineveh, to fast the Baautha (Rogation of the Ninevites), starting next Monday, September 01, 2014, for a period of three days, and in the evening of the last day of the Baautha, corresponding to Wednesday, all the priests in all our churches will perform sanctification of Eucharist to God the Father. We ask you all to attend this Mass to pray to God the Father, and to bless and send his paternal mercy, and bestow peace and security in the whole region, so all the people can live together in love and peace.

The grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all forever and ever.

Khaninia Dinkha IV
With Grace Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East

On Wednesday, August 20 five Patriarchs from the Middle East visited Arbel in north Iraq to show support for the beleaguered Assyrian Christian community (AINA 2014-08-26) and to call attention to the cultural genocide that is being committed against it by ISIS. Patriarch Dinkha was not able to join this delegation because of very poor health.

Here is the Patriarch's statement in Assyrian: