Awa Royel
His Grace Dr. Mar Awa Royel | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of the State of California | |
| Church | Assyrian Church of the East ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܖ̈ܝܐ |
| Diocese | California |
| See | Apostolic See of Seleucia-Ctesiphon |
| Installed | 30 November 2008 |
| Other post(s) | Secretary of the Holy Synod |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 30 November 2008, St. Zaia Church, Modesto, California by Mar Dinkha IV |
| Rank | Bishop |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | David Royel |
| Born | 4 July 1975 Chicago, Illinois |
| Nationality | Assyrian |
| Denomination | Assyrian Church of the East |
| Residence | Modesto, California |
| Occupation | Cleric |
| Previous post(s) | Archdeacon of St. Yosip Khnanisho Church |
| Education | Doctorate of Sacred Theology, Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome |
| Alma mater | Loyola University Chicago, University of St. Mary of the Lake |
Mar Awa Royel (born David Royel) is a Bishop of the Assyrian Church of the East (Classical Syriac: ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܖ̈ܝܐ), presiding over the Diocese of California.[1] He also serves as the Secretary of the Holy Synod, is one of five trustees of the Assyrian Church of the East Relief Organization (ACERO),[2] and is President of both the Commission on Inter-Church Relations and Educational Development (CIRED),[3] and of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Assyrian Church of the East Youth Association (ACEYA) of the United States of America.
Early life[]
David Royel was born on 4 July 1975 in Chicago, Illinois to Koresh and Flourence Royel. He is a first-generation Assyrian-American. His involvement in the Assyrian Church of the East began at a very young age. At 16, he was ordained as a sub-deacon, and the following year became a deacon. He was ordained by Mar Dinkha IV. Both ordinations took place at Mar Gewargis Cathedral (St. George Cathedral) in Chicago.
Education[]
David Royel obtained his bachelor's degree from Loyola University Chicago in 1997 and went on to achieve his second bachelor's degree of Sacred Theology from University of St. Mary of the Lake in 1999. He later received his License and Doctorate of Sacred Theology from Pontifical Oriental University in Rome.[4]
Service as Cor-Bishop[]
David Royel was ordained as Cor-Bishop on 15 July 2006 by Mar Dinkha IV at Mar Gewargis Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois, and as Archdeacon by Mar Dinkha IV on 23 November 2008 in Mar Yosip Khnanisho Church in San Jose, California.
Tenure as Bishop[]
On 30 November 2008, David Royel was elevated to the rank of Bishop, taking the name Mar Awa Royel - in Assyrian, Awa means father. He is the first American-born Bishop of the Assyrian Church of the East. Mar Awa was again consecrated by the Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV, assisted by Mar Sargis Yousip, Bishop of Iraq, Mar Aprim Khamis, Bishop of the Western United States, and Mar Odisho Oraham, Bishop of Europe. The ordination ceremony took place at St. Zaia Church in Modesto, California, attended by over 2,500 members of the Assyrian Church of the East, and broadcast on Assyrian National Broadcast.
As of 2015, Mar Awa has served as the Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East.
Under his tenure, Mar Awa established the St. Issac of Nineveh Monastery in California in addition to the tonsuring and clothing of two monks. This is the only active monastery in the Church worldwide.
Advocacy[]
As Bishop, Mar Awa has made many attempts to raise awareness for the plight of the persecuted Christians of the Middle East. In September 2014, he spoke at the inaugural In Defense of Christians Summit in Washington DC.[5]
On 9 March 2015, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes met with Mar Awa as well as Mar Paulus Benjamin. Together, the Bishops briefed Rhodes on the dire situation facing Christian communities in Iraq and Syria. They also discussed the crisis along the Khabour River in northeastern Syria, where the terrorist organization ISIL had attacked in late February 2015, which led to thousands of displaced people and a hostage crisis. Rhodes condemned ISIL's targeting of religious minorities, and outlined the Administration's plan to protect and aid the civilians impacted by the terrorist organization.[6]
Publications[]
In 2011, Mar Awa published a treatise on the theology of the Assyrian Church of the East regarding the seven Holy Sacraments, titled Mysteries of the Kingdom: The Sacraments of the Assyrian Church of the East.[7]
Diocese of California[]
Parishes[]
- Mar Zaia (St. Zayya) Cathedral - Modesto, California
- Mar Addai (St. Thaddeus) Parish - Turlock, California
- Mar Gewargis (St. George) Parish - Ceres, California
- Mar Narsai Parish - San Francisco, California
- Mar Yosip (St. Joseph) Parish - San Jose, California
- Mar Rabban Hormizd Parish - San Diego, California
- Mar Toma (St. Thomas) Parish - Seattle, Washington
Monastery[]
- Holy Monastery of St. Isaac of Nineveh - Salida, California
Ministry[]
- Grace Academy Christian Preschool - Modesto, California
References[]
- ^ Assyrian Church of the East - California
- ^ Assyrian Church of the East Relief Organization Trustees
- ^ National Council of Churches USA Meets with Assyrian Church of the East's CIRED
- ^ His Grace Mar Awa Bishop of California Consecrated November 30, 2008
- ^ IDC Speakers: His Grace Mar Awa Royel
- ^ Statement by National Security Council Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan on Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes’ Meeting with Assyrian Christian Bishops, Bishop Mar Awa Royel meets with Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes
- ^ Mysteries of the Kingdom: The Sacraments of the Assyrian Church of the East,
- 1975 births
- Living people
- People from Chicago
- American people of Assyrian descent
- 21st-century bishops of the Assyrian Church of the East