Honoring persecuted Middle East Christians, Pope Francis adds Assyrian saint to Martyrology

Pope Francis meets with Mar Awa III, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, at the Vatican on Nov. 9, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Newsroom, Nov 9, 2024 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis announced on Saturday that St. Isaac of Nineveh, a seventh-century Assyrian bishop venerated across Christian traditions, will be added to the Roman Martyrology.

The pope made the announcement on the occasion of a Vatican meeting with Mar Awa III, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East.

The gathering on Nov. 9 commemorated two milestones: Almost 30 years since the Common Christological Declaration was signed, ending a 1,500-year doctrinal dispute, and 40 years since the first historic meeting between a pope and an Assyrian patriarch.

Quoting from the Second Vatican Council’s Unitatis Redintegratio, the pope emphasized that both Churches share “the same faith, handed down by the apostles,” even if expressed differently.

Francis pointed to recent achievements in Catholic-Assyrian dialogue, such as the 2001 agreement on the Anaphora of Addai and Mari, an ancient Eucharistic prayer recognized for its apostolic roots, and the 2017 joint statement on sacramental life.

A 2022 document titled “The Images of the Church in the Syriac and Latin Patristic Traditions” laid further groundwork for mutual understanding.

“Theological dialogue is indispensable in our journey toward unity,” Francis said. “The unity we yearn for is unity in faith,” he added, stressing that such dialogue must be grounded in truth and charity.

Pope Francis’ decision to add St. Isaac to the Martyrology follows a recommendation from the recent Synod on Synodality to recognize saints from other Christian traditions in the Catholic liturgical calendar.

Turning to the plight of Middle Eastern Christians, Pope Francis prayed for their continued witness in a region scarred by conflict. “Through the intercession of St. Isaac of Nineveh, united to that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of Christ, Our God and Savior, may the Christians of the Middle East always bear witness to the risen Christ in those war-torn lands,” he said.

St. Isaac of Nineveh, also known as Isaac the Syrian, was a revered Christian mystic, monk, and bishop. He was celebrated for his profound writings on asceticism, compassion, and interior spiritual life, profoundly influencing Christian spirituality across Eastern and Western traditions.

Francis closed the meeting by inviting all present to pray the Our Father in their own languages and traditions, underscoring the shared spiritual heritage that binds these ancient Churches.

Adding St. Isaac of Nineveh to the Catholic Martyrology, Francis noted, is a reminder of the common roots and shared faith of both Churches, one that has endured through centuries of separation.