European Syriac Union offers Easter congratulations

The European Syriac Union (ESU) issued a statement congratulating Christians around the world on the arrival of Easter according to the Gregorian or western calendar.

“Christian denominations around the world, including groups of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people in the homeland and abroad, celebrated Easter with great joy and showed their commitment to their deep-rooted traditions. Despite the difficulties in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, they celebrated Easter,” read the ESU statement.

The statement added that while Catholic, Protestant, and other Christian denominations celebrate Easter on 17 April this year, Orthodox Christians celebrate Palm Sunday and Holy Week.

The statement continued:

“After the attack of the Islamic State [ISIS], the villages of the Syriac–Chaldean–Assyrian people in the Nineveh Plains had a special Easter celebration this year with the presence of the Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch Mor Joseph III Younan in Qarqosh.”

The celebration of Christians in Syria could bring hope for further development. After continuous and tireless negotiations, the Syriac–Assyrian political parties concluded a political understanding document to secure the rights of the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people in Syria.

We, as the ESU, welcome this step, and we are confident that it will bring hope to the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people.”

The ESU called on Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) people around the world to support their people in Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia) to ensure their continued existence in the homeland and remain in a state of unity and cohesion.

The ESU wished Christians of the world a happy Easter, and hope, peace, and health for all mankind.