Home › Magazine › Syriac Orthodox Church

The Syriac Orthodox Church – faith of the Suryoye

For many Suryoye, faith is the heart of their identity. The Syriac Orthodox Church is one of the oldest churches in the world and preserves a liturgy in the Aramaic language to this day.

Ancient roots

The origins of the church reach back to early Christianity in the region of Antioch – one of the first centres of Christianity. The Suryoye are therefore among the oldest Christian communities of all.

Aramaic liturgy

A hallmark of the church is its liturgy in Classical Syriac-Aramaic. Prayers, chant and scripture readings in this ancient language connect the faithful with a centuries-old tradition and keep Aramaic alive.

Monasteries and spiritual centres

Important monasteries such as Mor Gabriel and Deyrulzafaran (Mor Hananyo) in Tur Abdin were spiritual and cultural centres for centuries. To this day they stand for the deep bond of faith, language and homeland.

The church in the diaspora

With emigration, communities and churches have emerged in Germany, Sweden and many other countries. For the Suryoye they are not only places of prayer, but also of togetherness and of passing on culture and language. Besides the Syriac Orthodox Church, Suryoye also belong to further Syriac church traditions.

Read on: Who are the Suryoye? and Tur Abdin, the homeland of the Suryoye.