Who are We?
As part of his comprehensive plan to create an organized structure for the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, His Holiness, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, officially established the Department of Syriac Studies, by a Patriarchal decree, number 1/2015, issued on January 6, 2015. His Holiness appointed Raban Dr. Roger Youssef Akhrass, director of the Department, and charged him to organize its divisions and follow up with the scientific and cultural issues overseen by the Patriarchate.
The Department’s Divisions and its employees:
The DSS includes the following divisions:
– The Manuscripts division, and those individuals work in it:
- Sister Sayde Elias (The Patriarchal Manuscripts).
- Sister Mariam Aqrawee (The Patriarchal Manuscripts).
- Sister Philoxena Bahho (Moved to serve in The Little Angel House).
- Sister Helene Samarji (The Patriarchal Manuscripts).
- Elie Zouki, Seminarian (The Patriarchal Manuscripts).
- Bashar Pero (Manuscripts, Iraq).
- Raban Yakoob Ibraheem (Manuscripts, Iraq).
- Raban Matti Touma Hanna (Manuscripts, Iraq).
– The Patriarchal Library, and the employees are:
- Clerical, Charbel Rizk (Librarian)
- Clerical, Simon Abseem (Librarian).
- Miss Roua Alkhoury (Employee)
- Miss Miray Rawwah (Employee).
Some other monks, clericals and laymen also worked at the Library, in different phases, like: Mr. Makarios Jabbour, Raban Elias Elia, the Clerical students; Bshara Shamoun, Malki Karat, Stephan Shabo and Boulos Jawdat Kadar.
– The Printing Division
The Clerical Imad Siryani
– The Website
Mr Samir Zako
– The Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Journal (new series), is directed by His Holiness, Mor Aphrem II, editor in chief.
Rev. Fr Dr. Roger-Youssef Akhrass, Executive Editor
The scientific committee includes the following editors:
Dr. Sebastian P. Brock, University of Oxford
Rev. Fr. Elie Hachem-Khalifé, Université du Saint-Esprit, Kaslik
Dr Andreas Juckel, University of Münster
Dr Aho Shemunkasho, University of Salzburg
Dr. George A. Kiraz, Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute / Gorgias Press
H.E. Polycarpus Dr. Augin Aydin, Metropolitan of the Netherlands
Rev. Fr. Dr. Youhanon Habil, St. Aphrem Theological Seminary
Lamia Doumato, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC