Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas (; ; ', born Sanharib Iwas, 21 April 1931 – 21 March 2014) was the 122nd reigning Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and, as such, Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church. Also known by his traditional episcopal name, Severios, he was enthroned as patriarch on 14 September 1980 in St. George's Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus. He succeeded Ignatius Ya`qub III. As is traditional for the head of the church, Mor Severios adopted the name Ignatius.

Zakka was known for his involvement in ecumenical dialogue. He was a president of the World Council of Churches and also a prolific author. He was an observer at Second Vatican Council before becoming metropolitan bishop of Mosul. At the time of his election as patriarch, Mor Severios Zakka was serving as the archbishop of Baghdad and Basra. As patriarch, he established a monastic seminary, met with Pope John Paul II during the Roman Pope's visit to Syria in 2001, and installed numerous metropolitans, including Baselios Thomas I as Catholicos of India. He celebrated his Silver Jubilee in 2005.

Iwas was admitted to a hospital in Germany for angioplasty on 20 February 2014 and died on 21 March 2014.

Early life and education

Sanharib Iwas was born on 21 April 1931 in Mosul, Iraq. His parents named him after Sennacherib, the father of St. Behnam. He completed his elementary studies at the school of Our Lady's Parish and was transferred to St. Thomas Syriac Orthodox Church School, both in Mosul. In 1946, he began his theological studies in the city's Mor Ephrem seminary. At the seminary, his birth name was replaced by the name Zakka. There, in 1948, he was ordained as a deacon with the rank of Reader. In 1953, he was promoted to the rank of subdeacon. The following year saw Iwas take monastic vows. He left Mosul at that time to become secretary to the patriarchs, Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum and then Ignatius Jacob III. In 1955 he was promoted to the rank of full deacon.

Zakka was a member of different Eastern and Western Academies and authored a number of books on Christian education, theology, history, and culture in Syriac and the Arabic and English languages.

A second visit to India was in April 2000 to attend the Golden Jubilee of the Chief Metropolitan of the East Mor Cleemis Abraham, it lasted three days. The third visit to India came for the occasion of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Patriarchal enthronement in September 2004, the third visit lasted two weeks.

  1. Cyril Aphrem Karim (1996–2014). Metropolitan of the Eastern United States. Later, he was elected as Ignatius Aphrem II, the 123rd Patriarch of Syriac Orthodox Church (2014–Present).
  2. Theophilus George Saliba (1981). Metropolitan of Mount Lebanon
  3. Severus Isaac Saka (1981). Patriarchal Vicar for Syriac Studies
  4. Philoxenus Elias Malke (1982–1984). Metropolitan of Tur-Abdin
  5. Christimous Moosa Salama (1982). Patriarchal Vicar in Brazil
  6. Severus Abrohom (1982). Metropolitan Assistant in India
  7. Eustatius Benjamin (1984). Metropolitan in India
  8. Timothy Samuel Aktash (1985). Metropolitan of Diyarbakir
  9. Philoxenus Yousef (1986). Patriarchal vicar in Istanbul
  10. Julius Abdulahad Shabo (1987). Metropolitan of Sweden
  11. Iwannis Paul (1990). Bishop and Patriarchal Vican in Damascus
  12. Pulicarpus M.B. George (1990). Metropolitan for Eastern Society Evangelism
  13. Eustatius MAtta Rohem (1990). Metropolitan of Al-Jazira and Al-Furat
  14. Malatius John Rajan (1990). Metropolitan of Trishur in India
  15. Clement Augin Kabalan (1991). Metropolitan of the Western United States
  16. Nicolas Zakariya (1993). Metropolitan for Indian dioceses in US & Canada
  17. Gregorius Joseph (1996). Metropolitan of Kugin in India
  18. Dioscorus Benjamin Atash. Patriarchal vicar in Sweden
  19. Severus Malke (1996). Patriarchal vicar Jerusalem, Jordan and the Holy Lands
  20. Dionysius Issa Karbouz (1996). Patriarchal vicar in Germany
  21. Julius Qariaqus (1998). Patriarch secretary and Patriarchal vicar in India
  22. Selwanus Peter (1999–2020). Metropolitan for Homs and Hama
  23. Severus Saliba Toma (2000). Patriarchal vicar in Zahle and Bakaa'

Death

Zakka was admitted to hospital in Kiel, Germany on 20 February 2014; where he died following a cardiac arrest on 21 March 2014. He was entombed at St. Peter's and St Paul's Cathedral, Marrat Saidnayya, Damascus on 28 March.

On 29 May 2014, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, succeeded him as Patriarch.

See also

  • List of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs of Antioch
  • Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church

References

  • Biography from Margonitho: Syriac Orthodox Resources
  • Biography of the Iwas