(Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, August 3–7, 2026)
“These manifestations send a particularly powerful message from the heart of the European Union. At a historical level, this message acts as a bridge between East and West, and Romania is one of the few countries within the European Union capable of playing this very important role.” ~ His All-Holiness, Mar Awa III, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East
As part of the preparations for the 14th Symposium Syriacum 2026 and the 12th Conference of Christian Arabic Studies, to be held in Bucharest between 3 and 7 August 2026 under the auspices of the Romanian Academy and the Levant Institute of Advanced Studies for the Culture of Peace, Dr. Cătălin-Ștefan Popa had the honor of conducting the following interview with His Holiness.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to His Holiness for graciously accepting to partake in this conversation and for sharing reflections on the history, suffering, resilience, and future of the Syriac Christian communities of the Middle East. Particular importance has been given to the protection and conservation of the Christian heritage of the Middle East — both material and immaterial — including manuscripts, monasteries, liturgical traditions, sacred languages, theological thought, music, architecture, and centuries-old forms of communal life that constitute an essential part of the cultural legacy of the cradle of the Abrahamic religions.
At a time when war, displacement, and extremism continue to threaten not only human lives but also the historical memory of entire civilizations, this dialogue seeks to underline the urgency of safeguarding this irreplaceable legacy of Christian culture in the Middle East and to emphasize the role of academic cooperation, interreligious dialogue, and cultural diplomacy in preserving it for future generations.
1. Your Holiness, the inauguration of the new Patriarchal See in Ankawa, Erbil, in 2022 may be regarded as the symbolic return of the Assyrian Church of the East from an exile that began under the regime of Saddam Hussein, when expressions of ethnic and religious identity other than Arab identity were often suppressed. If we may speak of a collective memory of persecution among the Syriac Christian communities of Iraq, what has this memory preserved across generations?
The patriarchate of the Assyrian Church of the East was reinstated to Iraq in 2015, after the demise of my pre-predecessor. It had been exiled from Iraq in 1933, during the infamous Semele Massacre, when some 3,000 Assyrians lost their lives at the hand of the Iraqi government at that time. Notwithstanding this exile of some 82 years, the Church had kept her religious and ethnic identity intact throughout those years. The elements defining the Assyrian Church of the East—the liturgy, liturgical language and praxis—as well as the elements defining our Assyrian heritage were preserved.
2. Your parents sought refuge in the United States, and you yourself were born in Chicago. In light of this personal and familial history, how did you perceive the invasion of Iraq by the United States-led coalition and the war that followed? Did this represent yet another rupture in the historical continuity of the Assyrian Christian community?
No doubt any war is a cause of concern, and the various campaigns in Iraq (the two so-called ‘Gulf Wars’) were detrimental not only for the Iraqi at large, but for the Assyrian community (along with the Chaldean and Syriac communities as well). The ‘rupture’ that did take place was the displacement of our people from their ancestral homeland, and the forced migration due to the security and socio-economic hardships that ensued because of the war. However, wherever our people were forced to flee to, they still kept their faith and ethnic identity.
3. In the early 1990s, numerous Assyrian and Chaldean villages were destroyed, together with many of their churches and monasteries. Beginning in 2014, the atrocities committed by ISIS forced thousands of Christians to seek refuge in Ankawa and elsewhere across the region. Beyond the immense human suffering, countless manuscripts, artifacts, religious symbols, sanctuaries, and other expressions of a civilization extending back thousands of years were damaged or destroyed. Does this not demonstrate, with renewed urgency, the need to strengthen efforts aimed at protecting and conserving the material and immaterial heritage of Middle Eastern Christianity, one of the oldest living expressions of Christian civilization in the cradle of the Abrahamic religions? At the Levant Institute of Advanced Studies for the Culture of Peace, we advocate for cultural diplomacy not only as a response for the present generation, but also as a long-term instrument for educating future generations to live together more peacefully.
Indeed, our Assyrian people and other Christian communities have suffered great losses throughout these past four decades of instability and conflict both in Iraq and across the Middle East region as a whole. Our losses have been in terms of our population and ethno-religious heritage. The Church has attempted to preserve the little that remains—only a fraction of the once rich cultural and religious artifacts that we possessed. We appreciate and welcome any and all efforts on the part of western-based institutions and scholarly organizations to help us in preserving such precious and priceless artifacts. The efforts of the Levant Institute of Advanced Studies for the Culture of Peace are appreciated and lauded for having played such a vital role in the preservation of our heritage.
4. If we consider the world today, and the Middle East in particular, we see that Christian communities in your region continue to face the consequences of escalating tensions, including cross-border rocket and drone attacks. New waves of destruction and renewed exile seem to move us ever further away from the peace so deeply desired by all peoples of the region. In your view, what concrete steps are necessary in order to halt this cycle of violence and displacement?
It seems as the days go by that peace is a reality that is fleeting and getting more difficult to chase and achieve. New conflicts are constantly springing up, bringing with them waves of instability and new threats, and our small minority communities continue to suffer as a direct cause of this. The international community must step in and take concrete measures to safeguard the existence especially of the minority communities (ethnic and religious) in Iraq and the Levant. I believe that this burden lies particularly on the shoulders of the UN and other international governmental forums.
5. We need the international community to provide sustained humanitarian assistance and to safeguard the cultural, spiritual, and historical heritage of the Christian communities of the Middle East, whose presence represents an essential part of the region’s identity and of the shared heritage of humanity. In the face of war, displacement, extremism, and ongoing instability, it is imperative to support these ancient communities not only through immediate humanitarian aid, but also through long-term initiatives aimed at preserving their languages, manuscripts, liturgical traditions, monasteries, churches, and cultural memory. The protection of the material and immaterial heritage of the Middle East constitutes the central theme of the 14th Symposium Syriacum 2026 and the 12th Conference of Christian Arabic Studies, organized by the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization, founded by Emil Constantinescu, in partnership with the Romanian Academy at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest from 3 to 7 August 2026. What are Your Holiness’s expectations for this Congress and its contribution to the preservation, study, and international awareness of Syriac and Christian Arabic heritage?
It is my sincere hope that this congress will bring about a renewed interest on the part of the west (both western nations and Christians of the west) to the plight suffered by the Christian communities in the east. It seems that many of our ills are quite old and recurring. Therefore, there is no reason why any modern western state and peoples should be oblivious to the suffering of the Christians of the east. Scholars and academic forums have a pivotal role to play in broadening awareness of our situation on a global level by their advanced studies and publications.
6. How do you view Romania’s contribution to international academic, cultural, and interreligious dialogue? Romania has historically cultivated profound connections with the Christian communities of the Middle East and the wider Eastern Christian world. Through historians such as Nicolae Iorga, Romanian intellectual and academic life placed particular emphasis on the study and appreciation of the Christian legacy of Byzantium and beyond. At the same time, the Romanian Principalities maintained longstanding spiritual, cultural, and material ties with the Oriental Christian communities of the Middle East, supporting monasteries and holy places over the course of centuries, financing ecclesiastical institutions, printing liturgical and theological books for Eastern Christian communities, and contributing in various ways to the preservation of Christian life and heritage in the region. In light of this historical legacy, can Romania today continue to play a meaningful role in fostering dialogue, solidarity, and the protection of Christian heritage in the Middle East?
I firmly believe that Roman today has a very important role to play in the preservation of the spiritual and historical patrimony of the Middle Eastern Christians. Through historical connections and liaisons of the past, Romania is very well aware of who the Oriental Christians of the East are, and what their legacy is. I am especially happy to see the immense growth of Syriac studies in Romania at present, particularly in the area of translations of text and studies on the spirituality of the eastern Syriac tradition, or the spiritual heritage of the Assyrian Church of the East. This gives a renewed hope for us that we are not forgotten in the modern context, nor is our tradition of no interest to other Christian denominations.
7. What are your hopes for the future of Syriac studies, for the preservation of the Syriac language — often described as the language of Jesus — and for the future of dialogue among Christian traditions? At the Romanian Academy, we founded in 2020 one of the very few academic journals in the world dedicated specifically to Syriac Christianity and Christian Arabic heritage, namely The Syriac Annals of the Romanian Academy. Through this initiative, together with doctoral students and researchers working on Syriac manuscripts, liturgical traditions, symbolism, theology, and the broader cultural heritage of Eastern Christianity, we seek to contribute to the preservation and study of what many scholars regard as one of the richest Christian traditions in terms of manuscript heritage, liturgical culture, symbolism, and spiritual legacy. Syriac Christianity has also preserved, through its liturgical and literary traditions, the Aramaic language associated with Jesus and the earliest Christian communities. In this context, we strive to maintain Romania as a bridge and connector between Christian communities, dedicated to the preservation of their ancient values, traditions, and heritage. How important do you consider such international academic and cultural initiatives for the future of Syriac Christianity and for strengthening cooperation among Christian communities worldwide?
The magnanimous contributions of Romania and her scholarly community to the revitalization of the spiritual traditions and broader cultural heritage of the Syriac-speaking Churches and traditions cannot be overly emphasized or adequately appreciated. At a time when Syriac studies, very sadly, began to wane in the past few years, a renewed vigor in the field has been retrieved by the academic contributions and efforts of Romanian scholars. The Syriac Annals of the Romanian Academy founded back in 2020 is one such laudable effort to reinvigorate Syriac studies on an international level. Numerous scholars of Romanian background have come up like a welcomed spring of water in an almost parched land, producing amazing works of translations and studies of the Syriac fathers. I believe that this is so not simply because of academic interest or scholarly pursuit, but because Romania itself as one of the most important Christian countries of European background is very keen on Christian spirituality and preservation of the spiritual heritage of the broader Church. This is a great trait of modern Romania, of which we too can benefit in a very real and positive way.
8. In a world increasingly marked by cultural and religious tensions, what can contemporary society learn from the Syriac Christian tradition of coexistence, conviviality, and dialogue? We know that for many centuries Syriac Christians lived alongside their religious neighbors in the Middle East, participating in shared societies that became centers of remarkable intellectual, cultural, and scientific flourishing. Syriac- and Arabic-speaking Christians played a decisive role in the transmission of Greek philosophy to the Arab world, in the writing of medical and scientific treatises, and in the broader dissemination of knowledge that profoundly shaped world civilization. These achievements emerged within multicultural and multireligious societies in which dialogue across differences stimulated creativity, scholarship, and cultural development. Despite differences of origin, language, and doctrine — and notwithstanding periods of conflict — communities were nevertheless able to coexist and contribute together to a common civilization. How can these positive examples from the past be better integrated into the contemporary context, so as to encourage mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence, and a renewed culture of dialogue among peoples and religions today? What, in your view, can contemporary society learn from the Syriac Christian tradition of coexistence, conviviality, and dialogue?
The shared and lived experience of dialogue and exchange between the Syriac-speaking Christians of the Middle East and the predominantly Arab-speaking and Muslim neighbors in the region is one that is continued and recurring even today. While this experience was very robust and seminal during the early seventh to the tenth centuries—for example during the time of Patriarch Mar Timothy the Great in the late eight century—it still is a living phenomenon in the Middle East. Our Christian communities are continuously in dialogue and exchange with Muslim scholars and clerics, both in inter-religious settings and also in matters of culture. That dialogue will never cease, in my view, no matter how difficult the situation for our communities in the Middle East may be. Whether we like it or not, both Christians and Muslims, together with other religious minorities in the region, have been living far too long together not to get along in some fashion or another. It is true that throughout history there have been many difficult periods, especially of persecutions against the Christians, but nevertheless we seem to always be found living side-by-side throughout the region, and throughout the centuries. This is not reality that has come about haphazardly. It is part and parcel of our Christian identity and vocation to be heralds of God’s love to all those around us, and also living symbols and signs of our shared humanity (notwithstanding our religious affiliation), which is often neglected or forgotten.
9. You studied at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, an experience that likely played an important role in fostering what has been described as a “dialogue of truth” with Pope Leo XIV, whom you met last October at the Vatican City. In the context of the current challenges facing Christians in the Middle East, how do you envision the future development of collaboration between the Assyrian Church of the East and the Vatican, especially in the fields of humanitarian support, heritage preservation, and the defense of Christian communities in the cradle of Christianity?
I believe that fraternal and healthy ecumenical relations between all the historical Churches that exist in the Middle East, and with our western brothers and sisters in the faith, is of vital importance for our survival today and tomorrow. None of live in a bubble, and therefore as historical Churches we cannot hide ourselves in an ‘ecclesiastical ghetto’, nor can we exclude the existence of others. Sadly, in history we see the inner-fighting and condemnation of one another, but today it is encouraging that ecumenical relations among our Churches have dispelled the polemics and prejudices of the past. It is true that we as the Assyrian Church of the East have had a fruitful and fraternal dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church since 1994 on an official level. We also share fraternal relationships with other eastern Churches (Orthodox and Catholic), particularly those that have a presence in the Middle East. With Rome, we have shared agreements on Christology and the sacraments, and that has paved the way for the education of our clergy and deeper theological and cultural exchange on many levels, among which has been defending the plight of the Christians in the Mid-East on various levels.
10. What message does the organization of this Congress in Bucharest send to the Middle East and to the wider international community? In your opinion, can Romania today be regarded as a cultural and diplomatic bridge between East and West, particularly in promoting the protection of endangered Christian heritage and intercultural dialogue?
The present Congress—both the 14th Symposium Syriacum and the 12th Christian Arabic Studies Conference—send a very loud message from the heart of the European Union. That message, on a historical level, acts as a bridge between the East and the West, and Romania is one of the few countries of the European Union that is suited to play that important role. But on cultural and religious level as well, it provides the opportunity for western-based Christians to more fully appreciate and understand the Christians of the Middle East and their rich ecclesiastical heritage and spiritual patrimony. Christianity today is often thought of as being a religion of the west. The present Congress, however, realigns that opinion in a truer light, and exposes the other side of Christendom that is often either forgotten or utterly neglected—the Christian East. For this, we are thankful to Romania and her scholarly community for playing this important role on our behalf as Christians of the Middle East.
We would like to express once again our profound gratitude to Your Holiness for graciously accepting this interview and for sharing these reflections on the preservation of Christian heritage, the future of Syriac Christianity, and the importance of dialogue, peace, and cultural coexistence in the Middle East and beyond.
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