About Us
History of Mar Gewargis Cathedral Chicago, the Saint, Mar Gewargis, & Information about our Diocesan Bishop and Parish Priest
Originally, the church structure we now know as Mar Gewargis Cathedral was built in 1926, and it was called the 16th Church of Christ. In 1979, the late, His Holiness, Mar Dinkha commissioned our ACOE committee to search for a new church building. He had given the committee specific instructions on the type, size, style of church to look for. The committee then found the building we use today. Upon his return from Iran, the church was consecrated in 1981. The church was named “Mar Gewargis” or St. George. It became the Diocese Cathedral and a hub for all Assyrian religious ceremonies. Many parishioners got married, baptized their children, and even given last rites at this glorious church. The building was purchased for $400,000.00 and the loan used to make the purchase was paid off in two years. The Committee raised money from the loyal and generous parishioners through various activities to quickly pay off the loan.
There have been many celebrations at this beautiful church. Several Deacons, Priests, and Bishops were ordained at this holy site. In 2012, the current Diocesan bishop, Mar Paulus, was consecrated on Pentecost Sunday (27 May 2012) at Mar Gewargis Cathedral. The consecration liturgy was presided by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch, and assisted by all of the members of the Holy Synod acting as co-consecrators.
In 2015, a more sorrowful event was hosted at Mar Gewargis– the funeral of our beloved Mar Dinkha, the 120th patriarch of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. Hundreds attended the funeral and bid farewell to a great Patriarch who led the ACOE for 39 years. Several dignitaries from the city of Chicago and the Catholic Church were in attendance, along with numerous deacons, priests, and guest-clergy. The cathedral was at full capacity.
Mar Gewargis Church has a great significance for most Assyrians living in the Chicagoland area. It remains the Diocese Cathedral and a powerful symbol of faith in our Assyrian community.
Mar Gewargis the Triumphed Martyr
It is uncertain when Mar Gewargis was born, however, historians believe that he was born around the year 280 A.D. His death date is estimated to be April 23 303 A.D.
Mar Gewargis was born to a famous and wealthy Roman officer and a Greek lady native to Lydda. Both parents were Christians from noble families and Mar Gewargis (Georgios in Greek) was raised to follow their faith. The Emperor, Diocletians, brought Mar Gewargis’ father to include him in his retinue in Nicomedia, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. He left his home, and eventually passed away, leaving his son to be raised by his mother. She did her duty well, and raised her child on Christian principles.
When Mar Gewargis was seventeen years old, he entered the army. One day, the Emperor Diocletians saw him on his horse, high in stature, glorious, with sharp eyes. He approached him. Mar Gewargis was very noble and polite. The emperor loved him and put him in the Royal Guard. There was no one amongst the Roman commanding knights more handsome and enthusiastic than the Christian knight Mar Gewargis. By his late 20’s, Mar Gewargis became a Tribunus and served as an imperial guard for the Emperor at Nicomedia.
On February 24, 303 A.D., Diocletian, who hated Christians, announced that every Christian the army passed would be arrested and every soldier should offer a sacrifice to the Roman gods. Mar Gewargis refused to abide by the order and told Diocletian, who was angry but greatly valued his friendship with Mar Gewargis’ father, so he kept the matter between them. When Mar Gewargis announced his beliefs before his peers, Diocletian was unable to keep the news to himself.
In an effort to save Mar Gewargis, Diocletian attempted to convert him to believe in the Roman gods, offered him land, money and slaves in exchange for offering a sacrifice to the Roman gods, and made several other offers that Mar Gewargis refused.
Finally, after exhausting all other options, Diocletian ordered Mar Gewargis’ execution. In preparation for his death, Mar Gewargis gave his money to the poor and was sent for several torture sessions. He was lacerated on a wheel of swords and required resuscitation three times, but still Mar Gewargis did not turn from God.
On April 23, 303 A.D., Mar Gewargis was decapitated before Nicomedia’s outer wall. Mar Gewargis knelt, fixed his eyes to heaven, and prayed. He bent his head in front of the swordsman and received, with reverence to his faith, the fall of the sword. His innocent young soul flew to the heavenly valleys, to join the soldiers of Christ the King. His body was sent to Lydda for burial, where other Christians went to honor Mar Gewargis as a martyr.
Saint Mar Gewargis and the Dragon
During Mar Gewargis’ time, there was a dragon that made its nest at a spring that provided water to Silene, (modern-day Lcyrene, Libya)
The people were unable to collect water and so they attempted to remove the dragon from its nest on several occasions. The people offered the dragon a sheep each day to lure it away from the spring, but once the sheep was gone, the dragon always returned. In their distress, the townspeople decided that sending the dragon a maiden would be far more effective that a sheep. They drew straws to choose the victim, and this continued until one day the princess’ straw was drawn.
The monarch begged for his daughter to be spared, but the people would not have it. She was offered to the dragon, but before she could be devoured, Mar Gewargis appeared. He faced the dragon, protected himself with the sign of the Cross, and slayed the beast. After he saved the town, the citizens abandoned their paganism and were all converted to Christianity, following in his footsteps.
The meaning of the story is that Mar Gewargis (Christ) fought the dragon and defeated him (devil) with the sword (Word of God) to save the princess (the Church) and bring water (life) to the people.
Interesting Facts
Saint Mar Gewargis stands out among other saints and legends because he is known and revered by both Christians of the East and West and Muslims.
The feast of Saint Mar Gewargis is celebrated on April 24, but if it falls before Easter, it is celebrated Easter Monday.
The Assyrian Church of the East celebrates Mar Gewargis’ feast on two days each year – April 24 as is expected as well as the first Monday of November (most likely to commemorate the consecration of a cathedral that was dedicated to him).
Our Diocesan Bishop of the Eastern United States of America
His Grace Mar Paulus Benjamin
His Grace Mar Paulus (Korosh) Benjamin was born to his mother Najiba (Rosa) Jacob and to his father Yoarash Benyamin on June 24, 1968 in the village of Qala, Urmia (Iran).
He was tutored in the services of our Church by the late Archdeacon Reverend Aprem Mar-Yonani, and was ordained a deacon by the late Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch (1935-2015) on June 24, 1984 at St. George Cathedral in Tehran, Iran, where he continued his diaconate formation course with the Cor-Bishop Dumara Benyamin.
He then received his B.A. in Sociology and Social Communications from the Azad University of Tehran in 1993. He served the military from 1993 to 1995. In 1996 he was sent for higher theological studies to Rome by the late Mar Dinkha IV. After studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University, he received the S.T.B. (Bachelor of Sacred Theology) in Philosophy in 1998 and the S.T.B. (Bachelor of Sacred Theology) in Theology in 2001.
He was ordained as a priest on September 13, 2001 at Saint George Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois by the late Mar Dinkha IV. He is presently a candidate for the S.T.L. (Licentiate of Sacred Theology) in Canon Law and has already finished his doctorate courses as required by the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome. In the summer of 1999, he spent 3 months with Archdeacon Yonan Youel studying classic Aramaic, and did a course in French language at Bisancon, France in the summer of 2002. Bishop Mar Paulus came to the United States in July of 2007 and in 2008 was appointed assistant vicar of Saint George Cathedral, Chicago. In 2009, he was appointed the vicar of said parish.
On March 20, 2011 he was raised to the rank of Cor-Bishop by His Grace Mar Awa Royel Bishop of California at the directive of the late Mar Dinkha IV. On Ascension Day May 17th, 2012 was ordained as Archdeacon by the late Patriarch, then on Pentecost Feast day, May 27th, 2012 he was elevated to the rank of Bishop at Saint George Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois. Mar Paulus was consecrated by the Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV assisted by all Prelates (Metropolitans and Bishops).
Bishop Mar Paulus was designated to preside over the diocese of the Assyrian Church of the East in the Eastern USA which consisting of five parishes in Illinois and the states of Michigan, New York and Connecticut.
Mar Paulus is a member of the Holy Synod and Chairman of the Assyrian Church of the East Relief Organization USA (ACERO).
Source: acoeil.org/about-us/