Emblem of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate
Coat of Arms of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate
Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate
Classical Syriac : ܥܺܕܬܳܐ ܣܽܘܪܝܳܝܬܳܐ ܬܪܺܝܨܰܬ݂ ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ
Aramaic : ܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܐܪܬܘܕܟܣܝܬܐ
Arabic :
الكنيسة السريانية الأرثوذكسية
Malayalam : സുറിയാനി ഓർത്തഡോക്സ് സഭ
Russian : Сирийская яковитская церковь
Espanyol : Iglesia ortodoxa siríaca
The Syriac Orthodox Church is an Oriental Orthodox church that follows the Miaphysite doctrine and the Divine Liturgy of Saint James. It is also called the West Syriac Church, the West Syrian Church, the Jacobite Church, or officially the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. It traces its origins to the Church of Antioch and claims apostolic succession from Saint Peter, who was the first bishop of Antioch. The church uses Classical Syriac as its official and liturgical language.The Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch is the leader of the Syriac Orthodox Church, He is also the bishop of Antioch, where Peter the Apostle (Syriac: ܫܹܡܥܘܿܢ ܟܹ݁ܐܦ݂ܵܐ Šemʿōn Kēp̄ā) was the first bishop and established the Holy Apostolic See. He heads the Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church, which is the highest authority of the church. He is part of the Pentarchy of the Christian Church and has a special status among the bishops of the Eastern Diocese.
Flag of Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate
The emblem of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch has deep meanings related to history and theology.
The turban at the top shows the Apostolic Succession of our Patriarchs. They are the successors of St. Peter, who received the napkin that covered the head of Jesus Christ after His resurrection (John 20:7) and wore it as a turban (Mor Mushe Bar Kifo’s ‘Easter Instruction’ Chapter 18). Mor Dionysius Bar Salibi wrote that St. Peter used this napkin as his headgear (Koobatho). The turban also shows the authority of the Patriarch and the bishops, as it was worn by kings.
The cross on the left is a symbol of our Lord’s Resurrection and His triumph over death. The cross is also the essence of the Gospel, because there is no salvation without Christ’s death on the cross and His rising from the dead. The cross is also a powerful weapon against Satan and his army. In the Sh’himo we sing, “The holy martyrs armored with the cross enraged Satan as they persisted in battle.” The meaning of the Holy Cross can be expressed in this hymn from the Holy Matrimony service, “The Cross is the sign of peace & the sign of victory. By the Cross we have been saved & in it we all glory!”
The staff/Crozier (mooroneetho/aamshavadi) on the right is a symbol of a bishop’s role as a shepherd of his flock. The empty cross shows our Lord who restored all things by His resurrection. The serpents refer to the story of Moses making a serpent from a bronze rod to save the sinful Israelites (Numbers 21:4-9). The two serpents also show the contrast between the evil serpent in Eden that caused the fall of man, and the serpent of Moses that brought healing. The central cross is above the serpent, meaning that Christ has defeated Satan and death by His death.
In the middle are the two keys that are tied together at the ends. They represent St. Peter the Holy Apostle, who received the keys of the kingdom of heaven from our Lord Jesus Christ, who said to him, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: & whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: & whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mathew 16:19) The Syriac Orthodox Church calls St. Peter the keeper of the Keys of the Kingdom (Semavoon kabel kleede d’malkooso). St. Peter is also shown with these keys in icons. St. Peter is the leader of the Apostles (ris’ho daslihe) and he founded the first Apostolic Holy See in Antioch (where the followers of Christ were first called Christians, as written in Acts 11:26). The Patriarch of Antioch and all the East is the successor to this Holy Apostolic See.
The scale in the bottom center symbolizes the Patriarch’s role as a fair and righteous judge in the Church, who upholds the faith, constitution, laws and beliefs of the Church.
The Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate’s title is written in Syriac, the official language of the Church, below the emblem. In some places, Arabic is also used.
The Syriac inscription is: Paṭriarḵo ḏ-Anṭiuḵia waḏ-Kuloh Maḏĕnḥo The Arabic inscription is: Baṭriyark li-ʾAnṭākya wa-Sāʾir al-Mašriq
Both mean, “Patriarch of Antioch and all the East”"
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