Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI, Catholicos Patriarch of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East was born on 1887 in Qudshanis, Turkey. His father's name was Eshai a blood member of the Patriarchal family, and his mother's name was Asyat the daughter of Qambar of Eill.

He was ordained Archbishop on March 2, 1903 by the hand of his uncle Mar Rueil Shimun XX Patriarch. Fourteen days later Mar Rueil past away, and a unanimous decision was taken by the church Hierarchy and Mar Benyamin was elevated to the exalted rank of Catholicos Patriarch on March 30, 1903, by the hands of His Beatitude Mar Iskhaq Khnaneeshoo Metropolitan of Rustaga, Shamisdin, who was accompanied by Mar Estapanoos Bishop of Gawar, in the church of Mar Shaleeta which was built in the year 1689.

During WWI Hormizd d’ Mar Shimun, the Patriarch’s brother, who at the time was studying in Constantinople (Istanbul), was imprisoned by the Turkish Government, they told Mar Benyamin we have your brother, tell your people to lay down their weapons & surrender, Mar Benyamin's reply was "It is imposible for me and my people to surrender after seeing the atrocities done to my Assyrian people by your government; therefore my brother is one, my people are many, I would rather lose my brother but not my NATION"; so the Turkish Government transferred Hormizd to Mosul, and then executed him by hanging.

Mar Benyamin Shimun later was tricked and assassinated while on a peace mission, by the devious and coward Simko (a Kurdish bandit). Mar Benyamin received the crown of martyrdom on March 3, 1918, he was only 31 years old. He had succeeded his predecessor at the age of eighteen, and for fifteen years had occupied the patriarchal See at Qudshanis.

On October 18th, 1987 His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East decreed that a commemoration (Dukhrana) of Mar Benyamin Shimun shall be observed yearly by the Assyrian Church of the East throughout the world, on the first Sunday that falls before the Sunday entering in, or beginning of the Lent (Soma Goora).

His soul will never rest in peace unless his Assyrian people which he loved so dearly, and led during the times of crisis, achieve their God given rights of self determination and security in their ancient ancestral homeland 'Ara d'ASHUR' that they can proudly call their own.

“A good shepherd risks his life for the sake of his sheeps. But the hired person who is not the shepherd and who is not the owner of the sheeps, when sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheeps and runs away.”
(John 10:11) .
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“There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for the sake of his friends.”
(John 15:13).
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We pray to God Almighty to rest the soul of our beloved & gabara Assyrian National Martyr
among all of the pious and righteous men in His Everlasting Kingdom, Amen.
“Truly I say to you, Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
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—Assyrian Enterprise —