15/08/2022

Patriarch of Ancient Church of the East Mar Yakoob III Danil abdicates two months after election

CHICAGO, U.S. — Following the failure of the Ancient Church of the East and the Assyrian Church of the East to unite during talks earlier this year, the Synod of the Ancient Church of the East elected Archbishop of Australia and New Zealand Mar Yakoob III Danil as its new patriarch. Consecrated in June, Mar Yakoob III became the 110th Catholicos-Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East, succeeding the late Mar Addai II Gewargis.

On Saturday, the newly elected patriarch announced his abdication, in a statement in Eastern Syriac, indicating that the decision was taken in the interest of the Ancient Church of the East and that reunification talks have been restarted between the two Churches.

Talks are continuing between representatives of the two Churches, who are charged with restoring the unity between them following their separation in 1967.