Philoxenos Yuhanon Dolabani

Philoxenos Yuhanon Dolabani
Metropolitan of the Diocese of Mardin
Dolabani arriving in Aleppo after his ordination in May 1947
Native name
ܦܝܠܘܟܣܝܢܘܣ ܝܘܚܢܢ ܕܘܠܒܐܢܝ
SeeDiocese of Mardin
In office1947—1969
Previous postPriest
Orders
Ordination1918
Personal details
Born(1885-09-27)September 27, 1885
Mardin, Ottoman Empire
Died1969 (aged 83–84)
Mardin, Republic of Turkey
BuriedMor Hananyo Monastery
Sainthood
Venerated inSyriac Orthodox Church of Antioch

Mor Philoxenos Yuhanon Dolabani (Syriac: ܦܝܠܘܟܣܝܢܘܣ ܝܘܚܢܐ ܕܘܠܐܒܐܢܝ; 1885–1969), also known simply as Philoxenos Yuhanon Dolabani or simply Yuhanon Dolabani, was the Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan of Mardin, Turkey and its Environs. Born in 1885 in Mardin, he became interested in becoming a monk in the early 20th century, to which his parents objected at first. He was ordained in the Mor Hananyo Monastery in 1908, and later as a bishop in 1933. In 1947, he was ordained Metropolitan of Mardin.

Dolabani authored many works throughout his life, and is acclaimed as a prominent Syriac writer to this day. Over the course of his life, he published as many as 69 books, including 10 translations, and had oversaw control of publishing materials from his residence in Mardin. He is known to have also composed many poems, including Assyrian nationalist ones, which he was later forbidden from writing/expressing due to conflict with Syriac Orthodox clergymen. Despite these issues, Dolabani stuck to his ideals and continued to express Assyrian identity.

Today, many Assyrians cite Dolabani as an influential figure of the 20th century, and praise him for his works as well as his nationalism. As a teacher of Syriac in the Taw Mim Semkath orphanage, he taught many figures who would later become prominent in the Assyrian community. In 2007, a biography about Dolabani was published that included his writing and poetry.

Early life

Dolabani was born in Mardin on 27 September, 1885 to a religious family that came to the city from Savur in the 18th century.[1] He was born near the village of Qeleth.[2] At the age of six, he attended school at the Forty Martyrs Church, learning a variety of different subjects.[3] He attended the local Turkish school, and after he finished his education, he resided across different monasteries in Mardin and Tur Abdin.[4] Originally, Dolabani embarked on a shoe-making career, and his parents objected to the idea of him becoming a monk. Although Ignatius Abded Aloho II had tried to convince Dolabani to forget about monastic life at the request of his parents, it was to no avail.[5]

In 1908, Dolabani became a monk in the Mor Hananyo Monastery,[6][7] where he resided for the majority of his life.[8] He became a teacher in the monastery's Patriarchal School in 1910,[9] and was ordained a priest in 1918.[10]

Religious work

At the Taw Mim Semkath orphanage school, Dolabani would teach Syriac and Arabic[11] to students[12] until its closure in 1921.[13][14] Among the students he taught at the orphanage include Gabriel Asaad,[15] Abrohom Sawme,[16] Athanasius Yeshue Samuel,[17] and Danho Maqdasi Elias.[18] Dolabani would also teach those who would later become clergymen such as Abed Mshiho Neman of Qarabash,[19] Murad Saliba Barsoum, and Nu'man Aydin,[20] and frequented education at various monasteries.[10] Dolabani would frequently write to different places in order to request financial aid for Taw Mim Semkath, and his instruction in Syriac fueled many prominent Syriac writers and luminaries.[21]

Dolabani accompanied Ignatius Elias III on a pastoral tour across the Middle East in 1919 after Sayfo, and would later attend another visit in 1925 to Aleppo and Jerusalem.[10][5] On 4 December, 1921, he attended the ceremony for the Treaty of Ankara (1921) at Adana, and visited various Turkish officials afterwards to negotiate for the release of the treasurer of Taw Mim Semkath.[22] Dolabani departed for Aleppo in 1922 following increased persecution against the remaining Christians in Adana, but relocated to Beirut to teach Syriac at the re-established orphanage, remaining there until 1926.[23] He would eventually serve the Syriac Orthodox community in Jerusalem, staying at the Monastery of Saint Mark,[24] and was later joined by Sawme from the Assyrian orphanage.[25]

Dolabani was a missionary-minded man, and ordained many number of priests, monks and deacons to serve in remote areas as far as 'Bitlis and Van' where the faithful had lost their clergy and forgotten about Christianity. In total, he made 303 appointments of individuals to clerical positions throughout his life.[26] He was one of many clerical figures to emphasize structural reforms to propel education in the church.[27]

Dolabani was consecrated as a bishop in 1933.[9][28] After Ignatius Aphrem I moved the Syriac Orthodox patriarchate from Mardin to Homs, community leadership in Mardin desired to elect Dolabani to the position of anti-patriarch, but he rejected this.[10] He was ordained Metropolitan of the Diocese of Mardin in 1947.[29][5][28]

Literary works

Portrait of the Monk Dolabani from 1920

Dolabani is known for his literary works which he produced throughout his life. He authored numerous works written in Syriac, Arabic, and Turkish, which namely included translations of Syriac literature and writings on history/poetry.[30][31][32] Dolabani also wrote poems, including one dedicated to the Saffron Monastery,[33] as well as 'culturally Assyrian' poems such as Othur (Syriac: ܐܬܘܪ).[8] He, alongside other clerical and community figures, contributed to the Assyrian journal Sefro Suryoyo (Syriac: ܣܦܪܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ), which was published by the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo and edited by Danho Maqdisi Elias.[34] He also oversaw the publishing of the Hikmet journal while he was a monk at the Mor Hananyo Monastery.[35][36]

In 1929, Dolabani published a book of compiled poems which included literary works by Barhebraeus.[37] He additionally compiled a series of catalogues of manuscripts from different locations which remained unpublished until 1994.[6] He additionally translated Ignatius Aphrem I's book, The Scattered Pearls: A History of Syriac Science and Literature, into Syriac.[9] In his memoirs, he describes a meeting with Isma’il Beg Chūl in 1910, suggesting that he had cordial relations with Yazidis.[38] Throughout most of his life, Dolabani kept a diary where he detailed daily occurrences and events in his life.[31][2] In total, Dolabani published 69 books, including 10 translations.[31][39]

Dolabani frequently faced challenges and heavy pressure from Turkish authorities regarding his publishing opportunities,[40] including an instance in 1949 when he applied to create a Bible study course. Correspondence between him and authorities show that the difficulties were so immense, including requirements of compulsory Turkish language, history, and geography classes,[41] to the archbishop that he was forced to give up entirely, as he failed to make substantial progress.[42] Dolabani was the first to translate Syriac Orthodox liturgical prayer into Turkish for those who had moved to Istanbul.[43] When he was appointed to Metropolitan in 1947, Dolabani moved the church's printing press for Mor Hananyo Monastery to the Forty Martyrs Church in Mardin.[44]

Views on nationalism

Two poems that Dolabani wrote for Taw Mim Semkath, published in the Assyrian-American periodical Babylon in 1920[45]

Dolabani wrote many poems inspired by Assyrian heritage and identity,[8] most of them being written at Taw Mim Semkath.[17] Additional poems that he wrote include Neshono d'Othur (Syriac: ܢܫܢܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ; the poem was sung in the Assyrian orphanage[46]) and Yolufotho d-Othuroye b-Qiliqiya (Syriac: ܝܠܦܬܐ ܕܐܬܘܪܝܐ ܒܩܠܩܝܐ), which was dedicated to the Assyrian orphanage in Cilicia.[2] In some of his poems, identification with the ancient Arameans is also present, leading to contemporary disputes and competition over his choice of identity.[47]

After the failure of the Assyro-Chaldean delegation at the Paris Peace Conference, Dolabani was forbidden from expressing nationalistic ideals by church hierarchy.[48] Dolabani was also reported to have been excommunicated for six months due to this reason.[13] Although he continued to express Assyrian identity, he did so under a lower profile.[49] In the magazine Leshono d'Umtho, Dolabani published nationalistic poems anonymously.[50]

Dolabani was one of only two clergymen, alongside Ignatius Ya'qub III, to oppose the excommunication of Farid Nuzha by Aphrem Barsoum.[51] His magazine continued to be sent to Dolabani even while he was excommunicated.[52] He also criticized a tribute to Naum Faiq by bishop Murad Cheqqe, which expressed distaste towards Faiq's Assyrian activism.[16]

Death and legacy

Dolabani passed away in 1965. The week before he died, when he saw his last article in the Patriarchal Magazine, he said: “I don’t like death to break my pen, because the Church and our youth still needs my pen, but may God’s will be done”.[53] His funeral was reported to have been a grand event, with thousands of Assyrians from Syria taking part.[29][54] He is buried in the Mor Hananyo Monastery.[43][5] After his death, the Metropolitan See of Mardin remained vacant due to harsh political conditions until 2003.[55]

Many prominent figures from the Syriac Orthodox Church fondly remembered Dolabani's humility and wisdom. Sebastian Brock, who met Dolabani when he was 28, was greatly influenced by him, and later established a memorial fund at the University of Oxford in his honor.[56] Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Julius Yeshu Çiçek was taught by Dolabani[57] and lived with him for three years in Mardin. In his accounts of Dolabani, he stated:

"He was such a spiritual loving man, always praying. It was enough to see him, to be with him, to live with him. We were living and praying together. He was a man of God, a living example, which is better than words and long talks.[43]

Dolabani is considered one of the great Assyrians of the twentieth century.[29] He is considered a role model for younger generations of Syriac Orthodox Christians, especially for those from southeastern Turkey, helping to strengthen the revival of the church.[9] In 2007, the Assyrian Federation in Sweden (Swedish: Assyriska Riksförbundet i Sverige) published a biography about Dolabani, which included his writings and poetry.[4][2] A biography was published nearly a decade later by his former secretary, Elias Shahin, through the Swedish publisher Tigris Press.[34] The Assyrian Youth Association of Central Europe in Germany (German: Assyrischer Jugendverband Mitteleuropa e.V.) has hosted Camp Dolabani, named after Dolabani, since 2010.[58][59]

Publications

References

  1. ^ Aydın 1988, pp. 10–11.
  2. ^ a b c d Butros, Peter (2007-08-19). "A Man of God & Assyria". Bethnahrin. Translated by Tomas Isik. Sweden. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  3. ^ Aydın 1988, p. 12.
  4. ^ a b Atto 2011, p. 276, footnote 522.
  5. ^ a b c d Kiraz, George A. "Dolabani, Philoxenos Yuḥanon". gedsh.bethmardutho.org. Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage. Archived from the original on 2024-04-15. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
  6. ^ a b Gaunt, Atto & Barthoma 2017, p. 149.
  7. ^ Aydın 1988, p. 13.
  8. ^ a b c Donabed & Mako 2009, p. 107.
  9. ^ a b c d Dinno 2018, p. 82.
  10. ^ a b c d Kiraz 2008, p. 352.
  11. ^ Al-Jeloo 2020, p. 117.
  12. ^ Kiraz, George A. "Taw Mim Simkath". gedsh.bethmardutho.org. Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage. Archived from the original on 2025-02-21. Retrieved 2026-01-25.
  13. ^ a b Atto 2011, p. 276.
  14. ^ Kiraz 2008, p. 340.
  15. ^ Barkarmo, Nemrod (June 11, 2016). "Assyriernas största musikaliska pionjär" [The greatest musical pioneer of the Assyrians]. Huyada (in Swedish). Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Haninke, Augin Kurt (2011-02-02). "Faiq stulen på sin assyriska identitet". Huyada (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  17. ^ a b Al-Jeloo 2020, p. 127.
  18. ^ Kiraz 2008, p. 363.
  19. ^ Abdalla & Kiczko 2021, pp. xvii–xviii.
  20. ^ Kiraz 2008, pp. 359–361.
  21. ^ Al-Jeloo 2020, pp. 125–126.
  22. ^ Al-Jeloo 2020, p. 130.
  23. ^ Al-Jeloo 2020, pp. 133–134.
  24. ^ BarAbraham & Beṯ-Şawoce 2021, p. 325.
  25. ^ Gaunt, Atto & Barthoma 2017, p. 122.
  26. ^ Aydın 1988, p. 24.
  27. ^ Dinno 2018, pp. 79–80.
  28. ^ a b Aydın 1988, p. 17.
  29. ^ a b c Abdalla & Kiczko 2021, p. xvii, footnote 9.
  30. ^ DelCogliano 2006, pp. 329–330.
  31. ^ a b c Önder 2025, p. 114.
  32. ^ Aydın 1988, p. 20.
  33. ^ DelCogliano 2006, p. 331.
  34. ^ a b "Ny biografi om Yuhanon Dolabani". Huyada (in Swedish). 2014-06-07. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  35. ^ Aydın 1988, p. 14.
  36. ^ BarAbraham et al. 2021, p. 306.
  37. ^ Conlin, Patrick. "On April - to the Praise of its Creator | ܥܠ ܢܝܣܢ ܫܘܒܚܐ ܠܡܟܝܢܢܗ". Global Medieval Sourcebook. Stanford University School of Humanities and Sciences. Retrieved 2026-01-25.
  38. ^ Sims 2020, p. 36.
  39. ^ Aydın 1988, pp. 22–23.
  40. ^ Gaunt, Atto & Barthoma 2017, p. 123.
  41. ^ Atto 2011, p. 95, footnote 109.
  42. ^ Gaunt, Atto & Barthoma 2017, p. 128, footnote 30.
  43. ^ a b c "Mor Philoxenos Yohanna Dolabani". Archived from the original on 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2011-12-10.
  44. ^ BarAbraham & Beṯ-Şawoce 2021, p. 310.
  45. ^ Al-Jeloo 2020, pp. 153–156.
  46. ^ Atto 2011, p. 277, footnote 526.
  47. ^ Atto 2011, pp. 277–278, 363.
  48. ^ Al-Jeloo 2020, pp. 127–128.
  49. ^ Haninke, Augin Kurt (2015-02-10). "En TV-kanal i Naum Faiqs anda". Huyada (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  50. ^ Atto 2011, pp. 276–277.
  51. ^ Haninke, Augin Kurt (2011-02-16). "Farid Nazha tog vid där Naum Faiq slutade". Huyada (in Swedish). Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  52. ^ Atto 2011, p. 277, footnote 525.
  53. ^ Önder 2025, pp. 114–115.
  54. ^ Aydın 1988, p. 21.
  55. ^ DelCogliano 2006, p. 330, footnote 49.
  56. ^ Kiraz 2008, p. x.
  57. ^ Kiraz 2008, p. 615.
  58. ^ Snell, Joe (2024-01-29). "Berlin retreat pushes young Assyrians to debate nation's future". The Assyrian Journal. Retrieved 2026-01-25.
  59. ^ Oshana, Barseen (2025-11-18). "Youth camps revive spirit of Assyria across the diaspora". The Assyria Post. Retrieved 2026-01-25.

Bibliography

Further reading

allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mor_Philoxenos_Yuhanon_Dolabani