Revitalizing Syriac Christianity in Turkey: New priest consecrated for the Chaldean Church in Omid

OMID (DIYARBAKIR), Turkey – With the laying on of hands by Bishop of the Chaldean Church Remzi Karmo, Iraqi Syriac deacon Fahid Aal Murad has been ordained a priest and pastoral shepherd for the Diocese of Omid in southeastern Turkey. Bishop Karmo was assisted during the ordination ceremony, held at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul, by Monsignor Francois Yakan and the priest of the Chaldean Church in Istanbul, Abuna Remzi Diril. The ceremony was attended by bishops, priests, monks, nuns, and faithful from different churches, including the Apostolic Vicar of Istanbul Massimiliano Palinuro, Bishop Marten of Izmir, the Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Vicar for Turkey Monsignor Orhan, and family and acquaintances of the new priest from Iraq and Canada.

Father Fahid Aal Murad was born in Mosul, Iraq, in 1984 and graduated from the Theological University of Babel in Iraq. As a dean and priest-in-training, he served the congregations of Mosul, Zakho, in the village of Mangeş, and then for several years in Turkey.

As a priest he took the name Atqin, the name of his village saint.