European Syriac Union celebrates new parish hall opening and highlights challenges facing Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) communities

PULHEIM, Germany — The European Syriac Union (ESU) congratulated the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community in Pulheim, in the German province of Giessen, on the inauguration of the parish hall of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Saint Ephrem and Saint Theodoros on 30 October.

Manuela Demir, Co-Chair of the ESU, attended the opening ceremony and presented a gift on behalf of the Esso Foundation to Metin Cel and Samuel Gergen, the chairmen of the parish’s board of directors. The ESU emphasized in its statement, “As an organization advocating for the political rights of the Syriac [Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean] people for over 20 years, we recognize the significant responsibility carried by the parish board.” It noted that the establishment of cultural centers like this parish hall is a crucial step in preserving the language, culture, and traditions of Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) diaspora communities.

In a related event, the ESU hosted a lecture on Sunday evening in Vienna, Austria, at the hall of the Church of Our Lady focusing on the plight of Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) communities in Lebanon amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The session opened with remarks by Israel Gunel, head of the Milli Council, followed by a virtual address by Ibrahim Mrad, president of the Universal Syriac Union Party (USUP).

Mrad detailed the challenges faced by Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) communities in Lebanon during the prolonged conflict and stressed their resilience and readiness to defend themselves amid evolving circumstances. He urged Syriacs (Arameans–Assyrians–Chaldeans) worldwide to offer moral and material support to their brethren in Lebanon, encouraging them to remain rooted in their homeland.

The lecture continued with presentations by former Syriac Member of Turkish Parliament Tuma Çelik and Ishtar Gabriel from the Bethnahrin National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo D’Bethnahrin, MUB), who elaborated on the conditions of Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) communities across their ancestral homelands.

The event was attended by notable religious leaders, including Father Thomas, the parish priest of the Church of the Virgin Mary, and Father Ninos, priest of the Assyrian Church of the East in Vienna, along with a large audience from the Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) community.