Assyrians in Lebanon

Assyrians in Lebanon (Syriac: ܐܬܘܪܝܐ ܕܠܒܢܢ‎, Arabic: الآشوريين في لبنان‎) (French: Libanais-Assyriens) are Lebanese citizens of Assyrian descent. Most of the Assyrians in Lebanon came as refugees from northern Iraq and northeast Syria, two of the four locations of the Assyrian homeland.[2][3] There are an estimated 40,000 to 80,000 Iraqi Assyrian refugees in Lebanon. The vast majority of them are undocumented, with a large number having been deported or put in prison.[4]

Lebanese Assyrians
ܐܬܘܪܝܐ ܕܠܒܢܢ

Assyrian flag plaque outside the Assyrian Society of Lebanon
Total population
Up to 80,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
Beirut (Achrafieh)
Jdeideh
Zahlé
Languages
Neo-Aramaic, Arabic, French
Religion
Syriac Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Maronites

History

Assyrians are one of several minority groups in Lebanon. A Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite) community settled in Lebanon among the Maronites after Mongol invasions in the Late Middle Ages, however, this community was either dispersed or absorbed by the Maronites. [5] Assemani (1687–1768) noted that many Maronite families were of Jacobite origin.[5] A Jacobite community was present in Tripoli in the 17th century.[5]

The 1915 Assyrian genocide forced Western Assyrians from Tur Abdin to flee to Lebanon, where they formed communities in the Beirut districts of Zahlah and Musaytbeh.[6] Assyrian refugees from French Cilicia arrived in 1921 to bolster their numbers.[6] In 1944 it was estimated that 3,753 Syriac Orthodox Assyrians lived in Lebanon.[7]

Prior to the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), there were 65,000 Syriac Orthodox Assyrians in the country.[6] Half of the community emigrated as a result of violence, with many going to Sweden, which protected "stateless people".[6] As of 1987 there were only a few thousand Syriac Orthodox Assyrians in Lebanon.[8]

Assyrians remained neutral during the events of the Lebanese Civil War; however, individuals joined several armed forces, mainly working closely together with the founder and leader of the Lebanese Forces militia Bachir Gemayel and Christian groups such as the Tyous Team of Commandos and the Shuraya Party.

An influx of Assyrian refugees occurred due to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and Iraqi Civil War, with Assyrians from Iraq fleeing to Lebanon as refugees in order to immigrate to Europe, the United States, and Australia. A third exodus has begun since 2011 as droves of Assyrians have fled Syria due to the Syrian Civil War, mainly settling in Sed El Baouchrieh.[9][10][11]

A 2020 report by The Assyrian Journal has stated that Assyrian refugees in Lebanon face unique problems in the era of economic-downturn, anti-corruption protests, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This was said to be due to their distinct ethnic and religious background. The report stated that many Assyrian refugees ruled out the idea settling refugee camps due to fear of discrimination targeting Christians in these camps. This has led them to seek other forms of private shelter, which often have costs of rental, food, water, utilities, and healthcare, which many Assyrian refugees are unable to pay themselves. Previous reliance on remittances from abroad to pay these costs is also not a possibility, due to the global economic crisis caused by the pandemic. Assyrians who wish to leave these conditions for another country are unable to do so due to travel restrictions as a result of the pandemic.[12]

Education

The St George Assyrian School (French: Ecole St-Georges Assyrienne) is an Assyrian school in Lebanon that is run by the Assyrian Church of the East. It is located in Sed El Baouchrieh. The school provides classes up to the third grade and has 150 students, of which 100 are Assyrians. One hour of Assyrian language lessons per week is compulsory for Assyrian students, with language courses available in the summer as well.[13]

Politics

There are a number of Assyrian political parties that represent the local population in Lebanon. Majority of the Assyrian political parties in Lebanon are part of the March 14 Alliance and include the following parties:

Religion

The majority of Assyrians in Lebanon are Christians who adhere to the East and West Syriac Rite. These include the following churches:

Chaldean Catholic Church

There is an estimated 20,000 Chaldean Catholic adherents in Lebanon, the majority being refugees from Iraq. The Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Beirut was established on the 3rd of July 1957 and the main parish in the country is St Raphael Chaldean Catholic Cathedral.[14][15]

Syriac Catholic Church

The Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Yonan of the Syriac Catholic Church currently resides in Beirut, where the church is based. The church owns a summer residence in Deir El Sherfet on top of Mount Lebanon.[16] In 1817, a Syriac Catholic diocese was established in Beirut, but has remained vacant since 1898. The diocese of Beirut is currently under the jurisdiction of a patriarchal vicar or apostolic administrator since its vacancy.

According to Catholic statistics from 1962, the Syriac Catholic Church had 6 parishes in Lebanon, accounting for 6 churches, 14 priests and 14,500 adherents. In 1964, this grew to 8 churches and 15,000 adherents.

Syriac Orthodox Church

The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch is represented in Lebanon under the following clergymen:

  • Archbishopric of Mount Lebanon under Mor Theophilos George Saliba
  • Patriarchal Vicate of Zahle under Mor Justinos Boulos Safar
  • Archbishopric of Beirut & Benevolent institutions in Lebanon under Mor Clemis Daniel Malak Kourieh
  • Patriarchal Institutions in Lebanon under Mor Chrysostoms Michael Shamoun.

Church of the East

The Assyrian Church of the East (ACOE) in Lebanon is part of the Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and Lebanon, under the leadership of Mar Meelis Zaia.

The ACOE churches in Lebanon include:

  • Mar Gewargis (Sed El Baouchrieh), built in 1953
  • Mar Zaya (Ksara, Zahlé)
  • Rabban Pethyoun (Hadath)
  • Mar Khnanya (Achrafieh)

Notable People

See also

References
  1. "Lebanon: Assyrian Policy Institute".
  2. Carl Skutsch (2013). Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities. Routledge. p. 149. ISBN 978-1-135-19388-1.
  3. Lebanon Assyrian or Nestorian Church - Flags, Maps, Economy, History, Climate, Natural Resources, Current Issues, International Agreements, Population, Social Statistics, Political System
  4. Assir, Serene (September 4, 2007). "Invisible Lives:Iraqis In Lebanon". Assyrian International News Agency. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
  5. Joseph 1983, p. 111.
  6. Hunter 2014, p. 548.
  7. A. H. Hourani (1947). Minorities in the Arab World. London: Oxford University Press.
  8. John C. Rolland (2003). Lebanon: Current Issues and Background. Nova Publishers. pp. 79–. ISBN 978-1-59033-871-1.
  9. Collins, Dylan. "Fleeing ISIL, Assyrian refugees mark Easter in Lebanon". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  10. Abou Rahal, Layal. "Assyrians struggle in Lebanon after fleeing IS jihadists". Yahoo. AFP. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  11. Samaha, Nour. "Syria's Assyrians: 'No one helped us'". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  12. Altaji, Yasmeen (July 2020). "Lebanon's Assyrians confront severe economic crisis". The Assyrian Journal. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  13. "Une école, une église et une histoire jalonnée de persécutions". L'Orient-Le Jour. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  14. "Chaldean Catholic Church". Catholics and Cultures. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  15. "Chaldean Diocese of Beirut". gcatholic. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  16. Abraham, Salim. "The Iraqis determined to seize control of their future after fleeing ISIS". Catholic Herald. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  • 1932 Census; British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 26, No. 2, (Nov., 1999), pp. 219–241
  • 1956 Estimates; International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 11, No. 2, (Apr., 1980), pp. 175–187
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