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# A look into Assyrian church hierarchy
- URL: https://www.assyriapost.com/a-look-into-assyrian-church-hierarchy/
- Published: 2026-08-28T21:14:18.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-28T21:14:18.000Z
- Description: The two oldest Assyrian church rites have been able to preserve their existence for more than fifteen centuries, putting them among the oldest existing organizations in the world.
- Author: The Assyria Post
- Tags: Religion

One of these rites is the Syriac Orthodox Church, with a hierarchy functioning not only as a religious structure but as a pillar of Assyrian national continuity. The Church maintains its own ancient system of orders, rooted in apostolic tradition.

At the top stands the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. The current office holder, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, resides in Damascus. The tradition of taking the name Ignatius upon enthronement began in 1293 with Mor Ignatius Bar Wahib, Patriarch of Mardin, in honor of St. Ignatius of Antioch, the first-century martyr. Since the reunification of the Patriarchate in the 15th century, it has been observed continuously by all Patriarchs.

Directly linked to the Patriarch's history is the title of Maphrian, also called Catholicos of the East. From the 6th century, the Maphrian was the head of the Syriac Orthodox Church inside the Persian Empire of the Sasanians, mainly around Tikrit and Mosul. His seat was in Tikrit until 1089, later moving to Mosul and the Monastery of Mar Mattai. The office in the East ended with the death of its last holder, Mor Baselius Behnam IV, who served from 1839 to 1859\. The Maphrianate was formally abolished in 1860 at the Synod of Deir al-Zafaran under Patriarch Mor Ignatius Jacob II, as the drastically reduced Assyrian Christian population no longer warranted it. The title was revived in the 20th century for the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in India. Today it survives as an honorific title, held by the Catholicos of India.

### Three levels

Below the Patriarchal level, the church is organized into three major holy orders.

**The Diaconate – Mshamshono:** It begins with minor orders, often conferred on youths: Singer (Mzamrono), Reader (Qoruyo), and Subdeacon (Afudyaqno), who wears the orarion (stola) wrapped around the waist or shoulder. The full Deacon (Mshamshono) may read the Gospel, handle incense, and distribute Holy Communion. At the top of this order is the Archdeacon, the bishop's chief assistant for liturgy and administration.

**The Priesthood – Kahno:** The parish priest is called Qashisho, addressed as Abuna (Father). A crucial rule: he must be married before ordination. After ordination, he cannot marry. Above the parish priests are senior clerical ranks: the Periodet (an inspector or visitor of rural parishes) and the Chorepiscopus (archpriest/district administrator). Alongside the married parish clergy are the Rabans (monk-priests). Unlike parish priests, Rabans live under monastic vows and remain celibate; they often serve as monastery heads, scholars, or educators, and form the pool from which bishops are chosen.

**The Episcopate – Episkopo (Hasyutho):** All bishops must be monks and celibate. The ranks ascend from Bishop, who leads a diocese, to Archbishop or Metropolitan, to Maphrian, and finally to the Patriarch.

The system underscores the centrality of monasticism. Many bishops are drawn from historic institutions such as the Mor Gabriel Monastery in Tur Abdin, the spiritual heartland of the Syriac Orthodox Assyrians and a symbol of endurance for the entire Assyrian nation.

Unlike the Catholic Church, there are no cardinals; governance is exercised by the Holy Synod under the presidency of the Patriarch. The structure preserves apostolic continuity while maintaining the ancient Assyrian tradition that distinguishes married parish clergy from the celibate monastic episcopate.