Patriarch of Assyrian Church of the East dedicates Mar Benyamin Shimun Church in the Netherlands 

ZEIST, Netherlands — A Momentous Inauguration a grand ceremony attended by religious leaders, government officials, and members of the Assyrian community, the newly established Mar Benyamin Shimun Church in Zeist, Netherlands, was officially inaugurated and its altar consecrated. The event marked a significant milestone for the Assyrian Church of the East’s Diocese of Western Europe.

Mar Awa III, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, presided over the inauguration and altar consecration on Saturday and Sunday. This was the second church consecrated in the Diocese of Western Europe within the same month, underscoring the church’s ongoing expansion in the region. Earlier this month the Virgin Mary Church in London’s Easling neighborhood was dedicated.

Gathering of Prominent Religious Figures

The ceremony brought together a distinguished assembly of clergy, including Bishop Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan of Australia, New Zealand, and Lebanon, and Patriarchal Vicar General, Mar Youkhana, Bishop of Dohuk and Nineveh, Mar Benyamin Elia, Bishop of Victoria and New Zealand, and Mar Auwraham Youkhanis, Bishop of Western Europe.

Also in attendance were representatives of various Christian churches in Zeist, members of the local Dutch government, and a large gathering of Assyrian faithful from the Netherlands and beyond.

Testament to Community Efforts

The establishment of Mar Benyamin Shimun Church was made possible in 2024 through the dedicated efforts of Bishop Mar Auwraham Youkhanis, Parish Priest Fr. Shimon Shimon, and the Assyrian Christian community in the Netherlands. The church was consecrated in honor of Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI, the martyred patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, whose feast day is observed on the Sunday preceding Lent.

Legacy of Faith Since 1997

The Assyrian parish in Zeist was originally founded in 1997, and the inauguration of this new church represents a continuation of the community’s deep-rooted faith and commitment to preserving their religious and cultural heritage.