Letter from Mar Benjamin Shemoun 1916
Kategori: Allmänt
Bethnahrin Magazine, Vol 1, No. 22-23, November 1916, p 7. By Naum Faiq.
"Letter from Honorable Patriarch Mar Benjamin Shemun, Patriarch of East Assyrians (Asuryoye madenhoye):
To our honored and beloved (spiritual) children, Assyrians (Othuroye) in America.
Be greeted and blessed through our Lord Christ.
We bring a happy news to you; We Assyrians are now prepared to go to war against the Kurds. Honorable Kingdom of Russia supplies us with weapons. We are 2,000 soldiers who are prepared to sacrifice under the leadership of my brother David and go to war against our enemies, who have destroyed our ancient churches and disgraced the graves of our blessed Fathers and destroyed our homes and our land. You are well aware of our nation's poverty and suffering.
Beloved children, we have no doubt that you are supporting us in this task for the resurrection and establishment of our nation and paying your debt to your brothers. We sincerely ask that you be generous with your money to help your brothers, just as our children here are generous in sacrificing their lives for the nation and the motherland. Our troops are in great need of food and clothing now that winter is approaching. Ever since the day our forces left to receive military training, they live on bread alone. They lack real food and we testify that they endure tough trials. We see how the Armenians in Europe and America are helping their brothers. Therefore, we must learn from this nation and help our brothers by a generous heart. Thus we ask you, our sons, not to ignore our wishes. Our Dweekhay Nafsho are ready. We are just waiting for General Khornozobov to come. Then we will follow him out to war.
The Lord's favor be with you all!
On September 5, 1916"
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Naum Faiq's comment:
"His Eminence Mar Shemun is the patriarch among Assyrian heroes of our time (athlite Othuroye), when he, in his own high person, goes to war against the enemies of our nation. He is fighting an important battle in defense of the Assyrianism (Suryoyutho). Also His Eminence’s brother David leads the Assyrian force (Haylo Suryoyo) with care and success. Likewise, his Assyrian forces (Haylawothe Suryoye) sacrifice themselves for the homeland and the nation.
Thus, all Assyrians (Suryoye) must help this heroic fighter and assist his Assyrian brethren. May the Lord give them strength and assist them in this fierce battle. Thus, it is a solemn occasion that all Assyrians (Asuryoye), both East and West Assyrians, rise in unity and assist these devoted fighters. Perhaps God will pay attention to our love and unity and bring back what has been stolen from us by the enemies of our faith and our person. In this way, we will gain a good reputation in the world. And we can show the world that we are descendants of Athur, the famous hero. And for such a work, great (financial) help is needed. Therefore, let us rise and awaken from the sleep of ignorance, to gain a good reputation in Bethnahrin (Mesopotamia), which is our nation and the land of our fathers."
Ps! The letter and the commentary are written in classic Assyrian/Syriac kthobonoyo. Whether Naum Faiq has translated the letter from Sureth or the original of the patriarch was written in kthobonoyo, is not told by the editor.
