Addai Scher
Encyclopedia
Addai Scher Also written Addai Sher, Addaï Scher and Addai Sheir (3 March 1867 – 21 June 1915), was the Chaldean Catholic archbishop of Siirt
. He was killed by the Ottomans during the Assyrian Genocide
.
to Chaldean Christian parents on 3 March, 1867. His father was the local priest of the village, and he helped him at teaching Syriac at a young age. The early death of his mother made him concentrate on ascetic life and he joined the Domenican Seminar in Mosul
in 1880 where he studied Syriac, Arabic, French
, Latin
and Turkish as well as theology and philosophy. and after nine years he was appointed a priest and sent to his hometown Shaqlawa where he once more worked as a teacher in the Church's school.
and he spent his time learning Hebrew, Greek
, Persian
, Kurdish
and he authored as well in German and English.
In 13 November, 1902 he was elected as the next bishop of Siirt
, a position that was vacant for two year.
In 1908 he journeyed to Istanbul
where he met the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II. From there he took off to Rome
and met pope Pius X
, and during his stay in Paris
he managed to make contacts with French orientalists and print some of his works.
and Assyrian
population of Anatolia. Initially Addai Sher managed to bribe the governor of Siirt with 500 pounds of gold in order to save his congregation. This enabled some of the Christians of the City to flee. The bishop himself was helped by a Kurdish Agha
who hid him in his house.
The Archbishop remained hidden for several days but Kurdish band discovered his hideout. rev. Joseph Naayem cites a witness of the last hours of Addai Scher's life:
Siirt
- External links :* * * *...
. He was killed by the Ottomans during the Assyrian Genocide
Assyrian genocide
The Assyrian Genocide refers to the mass slaughter of the Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac population of the Ottoman Empire during the 1890s, the First World War, and the period of 1922-1925...
.
Early life
Addai was born in ShaqlawaShaqlawa
Shaqlawa is an Assyrian city in the Arbil Governorate in Iraq.Shaqlawa, a town of approximately 25,000 people, lies 51 km to the northeast of Erbil, at the bottom of Safeen Mountain, and to the northeast of Erbil. Shaqlawa is situated between Safeen Mountain and Sork Mountain, and sits 966 m...
to Chaldean Christian parents on 3 March, 1867. His father was the local priest of the village, and he helped him at teaching Syriac at a young age. The early death of his mother made him concentrate on ascetic life and he joined the Domenican Seminar in Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
in 1880 where he studied Syriac, Arabic, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Turkish as well as theology and philosophy. and after nine years he was appointed a priest and sent to his hometown Shaqlawa where he once more worked as a teacher in the Church's school.
Priest and Bishop
He was later appointed as a bishopric assistant in KirkukKirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
and he spent his time learning Hebrew, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Kurdish
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
and he authored as well in German and English.
In 13 November, 1902 he was elected as the next bishop of Siirt
Siirt
- External links :* * * *...
, a position that was vacant for two year.
In 1908 he journeyed to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
where he met the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II. From there he took off to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and met pope Pius X
Pope Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...
, and during his stay in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
he managed to make contacts with French orientalists and print some of his works.
Death
In 1915, the Ottoman Army was initially defeated in the Caucasus during the Great War, and fearing an internal uprising from its Christian population orders were given to exterminate the ArmenianArmenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
and Assyrian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
population of Anatolia. Initially Addai Sher managed to bribe the governor of Siirt with 500 pounds of gold in order to save his congregation. This enabled some of the Christians of the City to flee. The bishop himself was helped by a Kurdish Agha
Agha
Agha, also Aga , as a title for a civil or military officer, or often part of such title, was placed after the name of certain military functionaries in the Ottoman Empire...
who hid him in his house.
The Archbishop remained hidden for several days but Kurdish band discovered his hideout. rev. Joseph Naayem cites a witness of the last hours of Addai Scher's life: