A Spiritual Legacy
The History and Mission of the Chaldean Antonine Hormizdian Order
By Hanan Qia
The history of the Chaldeans in Iraq has always been intertwined with its sacred landmarks and monasteries, which tell stories of faith and resilience through the generations. However, in this article, we embark on a different journey to the heart of a venerable spiritual institution: the Chaldean Antonine Hormizdian Order. Despite its independence from the traditional ecclesiastical structure, this order forms a complementary branch of the spiritual and cultural mission of the Chaldean Church.
Through responses provided by the General Secretariat of the Chaldean Antonine Hormizdian Order, led by His Grace Dr. Samer Surisho the Monk, we learn about the unique journey of this order, from its founding and leadership to its activities and accomplishments, as well as the challenges it faces in a rapidly changing world. It is a story that sheds light on the relentless efforts to preserve the Chaldean heritage and promote spiritual values.
Below, we open a window into this extraordinary world, as narrated by the General Secretariat of the Order.
Chaldean News: Can you give us a brief history of the Chaldean Antonine Hormizdian Order?
General Secretariat: The first nucleus of the order emerged in the first half of the 7th century, founded by the great monk Rabbān Hormizd, who left his homeland and family, renouncing everything, with the aim of reaching the holy places, intending to journey to Egypt. However, divine will directed him to establish his order in a hermitage for prayer and contemplation, which he carved with his own hands on a mountain overlooking the town of Alqosh, where he discovered a spring of water. When people heard of the miracles and healings that took place at his hands, many came to him, and some young men joined his order. This marks the beginning of monastic life around 640 AD.
The monastic life continued despite the harsh circumstances it faced, such as wars, repeated barbarian invasions, and the resulting destruction, which led to the scattering of the monks and the abandonment of the monastery for long periods. However, Rabbān Hormizd’s prayers were not in vain; divine providence prepared a virtuous man, Gabriel Denbo, born in 1775 in Mardin, to revive the monastic life at the Rabbān Hormizd Monastery. This indeed came to pass, as the monastery reopened in 1808, and the monastic life was renewed, becoming a vital force for the Chaldean Church.
CN: Who is the founder of the Order, and what was his vision?
GS: Among the Chaldean families of Mardin, there was the house of Shimon, son of Patrus Denbo, a distinguished family known by the title “Sheikh” for their social status. The head of the family, a weaver by trade, married Shams, a cousin of his, and together they were blessed with two sons and four daughters. Father Gabriel was born in 1775 and grew up in an environment steeped in faith and reverence for God. His mother took great care in teaching him prayers and the basic principles of the Christian faith from a young age.
As Gabriel matured, his father, recognizing his growing age and stature, decided to send him to a school for Chaldean boys to learn Arabic, Chaldean, religious hymns, and Christian education. At the age of twenty, Gabriel worked in trades while seeking further knowledge and education.
Unexpectedly, Gabriel Denbo fell gravely ill, reportedly with malaria. After recovering, he vowed to dedicate himself to monastic life and pursued the establishment of the Hormizdian Order. After great effort, difficulties, and obstacles, he succeeded in taking over the monastery in 1808, with its churches, walls, and doors; the keys of which were handed to him by Archbishop Hananius of Amadiya, the cousin of Patriarch Yohannan Hormizd, as the monastery was administratively part of the Amadiya Diocese.
In the summer of 1827, Archbishop Gabriel traveled to Rome to confirm the laws of the order, which he named “The Chaldean Antonine Hormezdian Order,” and returned after three years. Upon his return, he worked to solidify the foundations of the order, but a fierce attack by the Emir of Rawanduz (Mira Kor) on the monastery and Alqosh resulted in the deaths of hundreds, including Archbishop Gabriel Denbo and three other monks, on March 15, 1832.
Abbot Gabriel Denbo’s spiritual witness can be seen in his sending of the brothers to preach in churches and administer the sacraments in Mesopotamia, where he connected the Church to God through prayer and to people through missionary work. In doing so, he recognized the abilities of the order and the brothers to serve Christ’s mission in the world. Gabriel endured persecution and ultimately martyrdom, a truth that reflects the intersection of love and death. Abbot Gabriel Denbo, the martyr, proved this with his own Eucharistic blood, as he transformed his love for the monastic life into fertile blood for many. Love cannot be true love unless it is sacrificial.
CN: How many monasteries are currently associated with the Antonine Hormizdian Chaldean Monastic Order, and where are they located?
GS: The Monastery of Rabban Hormizd in Alqosh is the mother monastery of the order and one of the most important spiritual landmarks and historical heritage sites of the Church. Its roots trace deep into the history of monasticism and the church. The monastery was founded in the 7th century and served as the seat of the Catholicos of the Church of the East for more than three centuries. The Monastery of Our Lady of the Harvest, also in Alqosh, was built during the time of Archbishop Elisha in 1858, due to the increasing number of monks and their spread. The monks could no longer remain in the mountain, and thus, they were compelled to move to the plain, especially after directing their mission towards serving the spiritual needs of the faithful in the nearby and distant villages. The Monastery of Saint George in Mosul was originally a church for the village of Baouira; this became a legal monastery of the order on November 17, 1863, at the request of Patriarch Yousef Audo. It is one of the most important religious landmarks in the city of Mosul. In 1962, a missionary school was opened there, which graduated monks and priests who later held pastoral positions in the Chaldean Church. It became a spiritual and cultural center, hosting theological and scriptural courses. In 2014, when ISIS occupied the city of Mosul, the monastery was destroyed. Today, the order is working on its restoration. The Monastery of Saint Joseph was founded in 1982 in Rome, Italy. It serves as the agency to the Holy See, as the order enjoys papal rights. At the same time, it hosts monks who are studying at Vatican institutes and universities to obtain advanced degrees and use them in the service of the order and the Church. The Monastery of Saint Anthony in Baghdad was established in the 1960s. This monastery became the headquarters of the general administration of the order in 1994. It housed monks who were studying at the Babel College of Philosophy and Theology, in addition to the house of formation. It contained a large library with precious books and rare manuscripts. Before the fall of Baghdad, a cultural center was created, issuing publications and books on various topics, including the journal Rabbnutha, which represented the order. The monks left the monastery after the fall of the regime in Iraq in 2003, and the political situation deteriorated due to terrorism and sectarian violence, which led to the evacuation of the monastery. The General Assembly of the Antonine Hormizd Chaldean Monastic Order in the city of Ankawa was opened in 2022 to make up for the loss of monasteries like the destroyed Monastery of Saint George in Mosul by ISIS and the evacuated Saint Anthony Monastery in Baghdad. It serves as the headquarters of the order, allowing monks to engage in pastoral and educational activities, as well as maintaining their ancient and rich cultural heritage to serve the memory of humanity and the universal church. The assembly includes:
• The Monastery of the Servant of God, Abbot Gabriel Denbo, the Martyr
• Saint Anthony the Great Church
• The Syriac Manuscript Preservation Cultural Center “Scriptorium Syriacum”
• Patriarch Mar Joseph VI Odho Conference Hall
• Archbishop Shmuel Jamil Library
• Saint George’s Guest House
CN: What is the current number of monks in the order, and how has this number changed over time?
GS: Currently, there are 11 monks in the order. Due to the political instability and insecurity that Iraq has experienced and continues to endure, the number of vocations has significantly declined. People are more focused on securing a livelihood or living comfortably, which has led many of our young people to seek migration rather than dedicating their lives to God in this way of life. For over fifteen years, no new monks have entered the order. While these indicators may be somewhat concerning, we are confident that the Lord of the Harvest will send workers to His harvest. If the decline in vocations is due to specific circumstances, we are sure these circumstances will not remain as they are. What matters most is that we stay hopeful, pray, and ask the Lord of the Harvest to send laborers for His work.
CN: What is the specific role of the Monastery of Our Lady, Keeper of the Harvest, and the Monastery of Rabban Hormizd within the order?
GS: The Monastery of Our Lady, Keeper of the Harvest, is the second monastery after Rabban Hormizd Monastery. It is home to the monastery’s superior, along with the monks and brothers who live their spiritual lives through daily prayer. They also carry out their pastoral mission, serving the spiritual needs of the faithful in nearby and distant villages. It is considered a spiritual place for prayer, welcoming various spiritual retreats and activities. As for Rabban Hormizd Monastery, it is now regarded as a historical monastery and a center for spiritual retreats. Believers from all over the world come to pray and seek blessings there.
CN: What are the other centers or institutions affiliated with the Antonine Hormizdian Monastic Order?
GS: The House of Saint Joseph for Orphans: The aftermath of wars is always destruction and ruin, and there is no doubt about this. The Second World War, in particular, had a profound impact on the increase in the number of orphans and displaced people, as well as the serious deviations of youth in all the countries that participated in the war or suffered occupation. This effect spread to the Middle East, including Iraq, which also endured difficult days. It was inevitable that the consequences of those harsh times would be reflected in Iraqi society.
One of the most dangerous consequences was the displacement of people from their homes, whether due to political reasons or forced labor. These conditions led to the fragmentation of many families. As a result, malnutrition worsened, and the number of crimes with an economic motive, such as theft, bad credit, and all types of smuggling, increased. This also caused psychological disturbances in children, encouraging them to leave school.
In light of this harsh reality, the monastic order played an active and prominent role in addressing the challenges and alleviating the suffering caused by those events. The order did not stop there; instead, it took steps to contribute to solving the problem and mitigating the damage.
This stance was realized through the establishment of an orphanage dedicated to caring for male orphans and displaced children, named “The Orphanage of Saint Joseph the Virgin.” This initiative came after thorough studies and extensive meetings that lasted for several months. Once the location was chosen, close to the Monastery of Our Lady, Keeper of the Harvest, on the right-hand side, the cornerstone was laid on August 21, 1949, under the patronage and presence of Archbishop (later Patriarch) Stephan Balo, the General Superior, and with the presence of the monks and brothers.
The Publishing House of the Antonine Hormizdian Chaldean Monastic Order: With the blessing of our late Father, His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Raphael I Bidawid, of blessed memory, the building of the Gabriel Denbo Cultural Center was inaugurated on March 15, 2002, on the anniversary of the martyrdom of the Servant of God, Martyr Gabriel Denbo – after whom the center was named. Archbishop Gabriel Denbo was the founder of the monastic order in the Chaldean Church after it had disappeared for nearly a hundred years. The center was originally located in the Monastery of St. Antony in Baghdad, but the monastic order decided to move it to Mosul to the Monastery of St. George (Mar Korkis) due to the difficult conditions that Baghdad, particularly the Doura area, was facing at the time.
Later, after ISIS occupied the city of Mosul, they looted the center and completely destroyed it. However, today, the monks have rebuilt a new cultural center within the general complex of the Antonine Hormizdian Chaldean Monastic Order in Ankawa, to continue the dissemination of books. The center houses the Syriac manuscripts of the monastic order, which have a rich history. It is one of the largest private religious collections of valuable manuscripts in Iraq, containing hundreds of manuscripts across various fields. The monastery’s library holds many ancient manuscripts dating from the 8th century AD up to the present day, as well as archives of personal correspondence from many notable figures, including patriarchs, bishops, general superiors, clergymen, and state officials, in addition to photo archives, audiovisual documentation, artifacts, relics, stamps, and more.
CN: What are the main activities or tasks performed by the monks here?
GS: The “charisma” of our monastic life revolves around a life of prayer and work, through which we proclaim the Kingdom of God. The monks live this gift through communal life, which forms an essential part of monastic existence and a path to spiritual growth in an atmosphere of mutual acceptance, tolerance, and the embrace of differences and boundaries. In this atmosphere, the monks bear witness to the Kingdom of Christ and His refreshing presence, as stated in the Holy Gospel: “For where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20).
A monk’s life is based on prayer and work. Prayer, focused on the Scriptures and liturgy, should be the foundation of both work and brotherly relationships within the community. In addition, study, education, and reading play a significant role in the daily life of the monks, and this is only set aside for essential and urgent reasons, so as not to sacrifice study and education at the expense of monastic life and its system, especially prayer.
Work is considered a vital component of human progress and enables the monastic order to meet its communal and apostolic needs. It is also a means of meeting with all the brothers. Today, the monks work through their mission and pastoral service, including teaching at academic universities as well as giving spiritual and cultural lectures to youth of all ages.
Furthermore, the monks are actively engaged in preserving their monastic and ecclesiastical heritage through the work carried out by the Syriac Library on the order’s manuscripts. The monks are photographing, cataloging, and indexing these manuscripts so that they can be made available to researchers and scholars in this field.
CN: What role does technology and modern media play in spreading the message of the monastic order?
GS: It is certain that the monastic order has always been, and continues to be, the guardian of all liturgical traditions through the many manuscripts preserved by the fathers and brothers of the order. The monastery has always been, and still is, the place where all liturgical rites are celebrated. As for the role of the monastery today, it is certain that it takes very seriously the preservation of these manuscripts, photographing them, and making them available to scholars. In addition to this, the order is currently engaged in a new project to transition this written heritage from paper to a new stage, just as the monks have always been pioneers in adopting the contemporary sciences available to them.
Today, the monastery is converting all liturgical prayers into digital form, with full translations into Arabic and the inclusion of corresponding audio recordings for the hymns. This will be made available to the faithful of our Church around the world through an app on smartphones, computers, and the internet. A self-generating liturgical calendar has also been developed, displaying liturgical prayers in several languages, along with audio assistance from our fathers, who have recorded these traditions with their beautiful voices. This way, the faithful of our Chaldean Church can taste and enjoy the richness of our liturgical heritage, strengthening their attachment to it and avoiding reliance on foreign elements that are disconnected from our history, culture, and language.
It is clear that ecclesiastical media, or media in general, has often neglected monastic communities, but we are the first to do ourselves an injustice if we do not adopt the language of this era. In this regard, the monastic order has recruited specialized members in the field of media. We are now at the threshold of using contemporary media tools, including a website for the order (oaoc.net), and other social media platforms to broadcast all of the order’s activities. As I mentioned, we are adopting digital engineering to spread our voice and activities to all the faithful of our Church. While the role of ecclesiastical leadership is important, from the standpoint of the order’s independence and its apostolic authority, we work tirelessly to reach the entire world with our message.
CN: How are the monastery’s activities and the monastic order funded, and do you rely on local or international support?
GS: The monastic order has apostolic authority, and it funds itself through donations, gifts, and offerings from the faithful, in addition to the pastoral and academic activities of the monks. It also generates income from agricultural lands and investments that the order has developed into projects to support its daily operations.
CN: Does the monastic order receive support from the Chaldean Church or other religious institutions?
GS: Despite the small number of members in the order, the activities we undertake reflect the order’s commitment to serving the children of our Chaldean Church and the people of our country. The order has always been, and continues to be, a nurturing presence for the Chaldean Church and its servants, supporting it at all levels. Whether academically, through monks teaching in universities, fraternities, and churches, this role is central to our monastic calling in this venerable institution.
The spirituality of our order is evident in our dedication to our work and our love for our country and Church. The order has, to a large extent, been a foundation for the Chaldean Church; it was even the seat of the Patriarchal See of the Church of the East. The founder of the order was the one who consecrated Patriarch Yohannan Hormizd VIII as the first patriarch of the Chaldean Church in 1830, bringing with him the pallium from Rome. The order has also contributed numerous patriarchs, bishops, general superiors, and priests to the Chaldean Church. Even today, the last bishop from our order was Bishop Eblahd Raban, who passed away in 1998, marking the end of the line of Chaldean bishops from our ancient order.
However, today the order is also able to support the Church through its monks’ diverse services. The future will testify to what has been accomplished and to what the order will continue to offer to the Chaldean Church.
CN: How are new monks selected, and what are the basic requirements for joining the order?
GS: A candidate for monastic life must have firm Christian convictions, a sincere desire to follow Christ, and a pure intention. They should be in good health, possess sound judgment, and have a balanced and open character, emotional and psychological maturity, sufficient human culture, integrity in matters of personal interests, and the capability to live a monastic life. They must also have the ability to live in community life.
The candidate’s file includes civil status documents, baptism and confirmation certificates, proof of age if they are over eighteen, a letter of good conduct from their parish priest, and other necessary information about their biography and family background.
CN: Is there a specific training system or preparation period for new monks before they fully engage in monastic life?
GS: The Aspirancy and Postulancy: Any candidate for monastic life, before entering the stage of Novitiate, must first undergo a period of Christian life experience lasting from 3 to 6 months. During this time, the candidate is prepared to understand the evangelical counsels—namely, poverty, chastity, and obedience—and their demands. It is also a period for the candidate to become acquainted with the monastic system, the people, and the customs of the monastery.
The Postulancy: After the aspirancy period, the candidate transitions into the postulancy phase (lasting 3 to 6 months), prior to receiving the habit and entering the Novitiate.
The Novitiate: Following the postulancy, the candidate enters the Novitiate, a canonical year-long period of formation. In this stage, the novice, under the guidance of their novice master, seeks to deepen their understanding of the monastic rules and regulations. They are committed to developing both personal and communal prayer life. The novice also meditates deeply on the requirements for making religious vows, focusing on the virtues they must live by. The goal is to internalize these virtues, engaging in practices that help uproot personal vices and cultivate self-mastery of the heart and spirit. This process allows the novice to experience joy in surrendering themselves to the Lord, aspiring towards perfection by growing in the specific virtues required of them.
Temporary Vows: After the Novitiate, the monk makes temporary vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty for a period of three years, renewing them annually for three consecutive years. During this time, the monk focuses on expanding both their religious and human culture, deepening their spiritual life, and striving to live in complete union with Christ in preparation for the final step: the profession of perpetual vows.
Perpetual Vows: At the end of the temporary vows period, the monk makes their perpetual vows, formally committing themselves to the monastic life. Human and theological formation is essential for every professed monk, according to their capabilities, even if they are not preparing for the priesthood. A monk who has taken perpetual vows may be ordained to the priesthood after completing philosophical and theological studies, should the need arise and if the necessary conditions are met.
CN: What is the impact of the Antonine Hormizdian Monastic Order on preserving Chaldean and religious heritage in the region?
GS: Certainly, the monastic order has been the primary guardian of the liturgical heritage, preserving numerous manuscripts maintained by the monks and their brethren. As for the monastic role today, following the establishment of the new monastery in Erbil, the monks now adhere to international standards for the preservation of these manuscripts. These include safeguarding them in secure locations, digitizing, restoring them both preventively and curatively, and cataloging them in detail, including both bibliographic and content-based indexing.
The order is fully committed to preserving these manuscripts, digitizing them, and making them available for scholars. Additionally, the monastic community is undertaking a new project to convert all liturgical prayers into digital form, translating them entirely into Arabic, and adding corresponding audio recordings of the chants. This material is made accessible to the faithful of our Church across the world via a mobile app, computers, and the internet. This includes a self-generating liturgical calendar displaying the liturgical prayers in multiple languages, with audio aids provided by our forefathers who recorded this heritage with their beautiful voices. Through this, our faithful are able to rediscover and appreciate the richness of their liturgical heritage, becoming more deeply connected to it, and no longer relying on imported practices that are foreign to our history, culture, and language.
Thus, the monastic order continues to be, as it has always been, a beacon of learning and culture, dedicated to preserving, studying, and disseminating this heritage, and contributing globally to the defense of the identity and integrity of the sons and daughters of our Church and our people as the true and indigenous children of this land.
CN: How does the monastic order contribute to education or cultural activities in the local community?
GS: Our order has a motto: “By prayer and work, we evangelize.” Our prayer is liturgical prayer, and historically, our work involved manual labor and pastoral service. Today, manual labor has been reduced due to the limited number of monks, and their involvement in other activities, such as academic work, including teaching at universities, and collaborating with church fraternities, alongside the continuous pastoral work carried out by our monks in various Chaldean dioceses.
In addition to all this, the order embraces several humanitarian projects, including caring for orphans. The monastic community has also embarked on a new project, a home for the elderly, alongside the traditional monastic hospitality.
CN: What is the role of the monastic order in providing humanitarian services, such as care for the poor or needy?
GS: The consequences of wars are destruction and devastation, and there is no doubt about that. In this regard, World War II had a significant impact on the increase in the number of orphans, displaced persons, and the grave social disruptions in all the countries that participated in the war or were occupied. This impact also extended to the Middle East, including Iraq, which also endured difficult times. The tragic outcomes of those days were clearly visible in Iraqi society.
One of the most dangerous consequences was the forced displacement of people from their homes, whether for political reasons or due to forced labor, which led to the disintegration of many families. As a result, malnutrition increased, as did economic crimes such as theft, fraud, and smuggling. The war also caused severe psychological trauma in children, contributing to school abandonment and fostering unrest and gang-related disturbances.
In light of this painful reality, the monastic order played a significant and visible role in addressing and alleviating the hardships caused by these events. Since the order took it upon itself to accompany its people through all of life’s circumstances, particularly the difficult ones, it remained committed to this mission in the face of all tragic events, even at great cost. The monks who died as martyrs gave their blood as a testament to their love for their country, Church, and monastic community. They knew the path to the Father, and they followed it, giving the dearest they had. They stood with the truth, courageously and faithfully confronting injustice, first for their own people, and then for the Church.
Out of a deep love for its people, the monastic order opened its monasteries to receive the displaced people from various parts of Iraq, and hundreds of them found refuge. The order provided food, clothing, shelter, and a place to stay for a long time. We can truly say that this was a humanitarian mission the order undertook in its most complete form, alongside its spiritual mission. Its history bears witness to the fact that it has never faltered in serving its needy children, particularly in difficult times and during all the critical phases Iraq has gone through throughout its history.
The monastic order did not stop at this point; rather, it took action to help solve the problem and mitigate the damage. This was manifested by establishing a special orphanage for male orphans and displaced persons, named the “St. Joseph the Betrothed of the Virgin Mary Orphanage.” This initiative followed an extensive study conducted over several months, with wide-ranging discussions and serious deliberations. After determining its location next to the Monastery of Our Lady of the Harvest on the right side, the foundation stone was laid on August 21, 1949, under the patronage and presence of Bishop (later Metropolitan) Stephen Balou, the General Superior, accompanied by the council of directors, and a large gathering of monks, nuns, clergy, and faithful.
The project continued for several years but was eventually halted due to the country’s political and economic conditions. A major revolution broke out in the late 1950s and early 1960s, escalating tensions and leading to the closure of the project, leaving behind ruins. The order nearly recovered to continue its work, but the recurrence of war and its devastating effects brought further destruction and division to the country.
By 2000, the orphanage was rebuilt and reopened, welcoming over 30 orphans, ages 6 to 17.
After realizing that the orphanage was no longer suitable for habitation due to structural instability caused by moisture and poor construction materials used at the time, and given the cramped conditions, the order sought to build a new orphanage on August 2, 2008. At that time, the orphanage housed 26 children, and it continues to serve generously and joyfully, run by the monks with dedication and zeal. It is self-financed by the order and the donations of the faithful.