It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that we regret to announce the falling asleep in the Lord of
His Beatitude Mar Narsai DeBaz, Metropolitan of Lebanon, Syria and Europe of the Assyrian Church of the East.
His Beatitude was called to his heavenly home by the Lord at 3PM Pacific Time, in the healthcare facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he was hospitalized for the past week and a half.
The late Metropolitan had received the precious Body and Blood of our Lord (Qurbana Qadisha) and Khusaya, as heard the reading of the Sacred Scriptures a few hours before his passing.
He was solaced by the prayers of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV and brother prelates present in Phoenix and globally, as well as the prayers of all the faithful and the presence of his family members.
We ask that you kindly pray for the repose of the soul of the late Metropolitan.

+ Mar Awa Royel
Secretary of the Holy Synod

The Late Mar Narsai De Baz was born of his mother Victoria the daughter of Deacon Younan Kambar of Eyil, the uncle of the late Patriarch, Mar Benyamin Shimun XXI, Martyr of our Church and Nation; and of his father, Reverend Elias Mama of Baz, in the village of Tel Maghass in Khabour, Syria, on May 17, 1940, after the death of his brother, Narsai, who was born in 1938, and thus, His Beatitude inherited the name of his late brother Narsai. His Beatitude, Mar Narsai De Baz earned his religious education from his father, Reverend Elias and his brother, the Very Reverend Aprim, Archdeacon; he enjoyed literature, poetry, religious studies, and the sciences.

His Beatitude Mar Narsai was ordained to the rank of deacon and priest in the city of San Francisco, in America by the late Mar Eshai Shimun XXIII Catholicos-Patriarch, to be assigned as priest for the city of Yonkers, New York on February 9, 1968. In the same year, on the 19th of July, he was ordained bishop for the Diocese of Lebanon in Mar Gewargis Church in Sadd Albushariyya, Beirut, by the late Patriarch Mar Eshai Shimun, assisted by His Holiness, Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch, who was at the time the bishop of Iran. He was also the Administrator of the Diocese of Syria, ordained priests, and built churches after the passing of the late His Grace Mar Youkhnan Awraham, Bishop of Syria, in 1985. After the election of Mar Dinkha IV as Patriarch of our Holy Church on October 17, 1976, His Beatitude Mar Narsai was also ordained Metropolitan the same day.

His Beatitude has ordained many priests and deacons, working loyally and diligently for the Church of the East during the war of Lebanon, aiding many of our Assyrian Nation’s refugees, setting up schools, and building churches in Zahle and Hadath. He occupied the rank of judge in Lebanon, and had many close relations with leaders of the Republic of Lebanon and with many political parties in Lebanon. He was considered the representative of the Assyrian people in Lebanon. In recent years, His Beatitude aided many members of our Church and Nation who were refugees in the suburbs of Damascus, Syria.

The Late Mar Narsai De Baz has participated in eleven Holy Synods, presided by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV (unable to attend his twelfth and thirteenth in October of 2008 and January of 2010 respectively), as well as participating in many ordinations of Metropolitans and Bishops, as well as leading the burial service of the late Metropolitan on India, His Beatitude, Mar Timotheus, acting as the representative of His Holiness the Patriarch.

His Beatitude has served as the representative of His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, in the Forum of Eastern Patriarchs, as well as many other religious forums such as Pro Oriente, the Middle East Council of Churches, and in dialogues with many other Christian Churches (Roman Catholic, Coptic, Syrian Orthodox, Chaldean Catholic, and the Ancient Church of the East).

In 1994, His Beatitude Mar Narsai De Baz was named by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV as ‘Patriarchal Vicar’ for our Holy Church.

On November 23, 2009, the late metropolitan arrived in Phoenix, Arizona in order to undergo a few medical examinations, and on February 7, 2010, he was admitted to Scottsdale Health Care Centerl. On Wednesday, February 11, 2010, His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV Catholicos-Patriarch arrived in Phoenix, accompanied by Reverend Antwan Lachin. At the airport His Holiness was received by His Grace Mar Aprim Khamis, Bishop of Western United States, His Grace Mar Emmanuel Joseph, Bishop of Canada, His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California, and several priests, deacons and the faithful of our Church. From the airport, His Holiness the Patriarch, along with prelates and priests, headed to the hospital in order to visit His Beatitude. His Holiness prayed on Mar Narsai and anointed him with the oil of the sick. On Friday, February 12, His Holiness visited His Beatitude Mar Narsai once again. Also in attendance to visit the late metropolitan were His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan of Australia & New Zealand, and His Grace Mar Yosip Sargis, Bishop of Baghdad.

On Sunday, February 14, 2010, The First Sunday of the Great Fast, His Holiness celebrated the Holy Liturgy (Raza Qadisha) at Mar Patrpos Cathedral, in Phoenix, Arizona. Afterwards, the Eucharist (Qurbana) was taken to His Beatitude Mar Narsai De Baz by His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan of Australia and New Zealand, and His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California. After the two prelates officiated the Sacrament of Absolution, they communicated the Body and Blood of Christ to His Beatitude Mar Narsai, followed by a reading from the Gospel at 12:00 PM noon. At 3:00 PM Phoenix, Arizona time, His Beatitude passed from this world to be with his Lord, Jesus Christ.

The late Mar Narsai De Baz’s funeral service will be held on Friday, February 19, 2010 at Mar Gewargis Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois (USA). The service will be presided by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Catholicos-Patriarch, assisted by the prelates, priests, and deacons. At 9:00 AM the Holy Liturgy (Raza) of the Body and Blood (Qurbana) will begin, followed by the funeral service. The body of His Beatitude will be laid to rest at Montrose Cemetery in Chicago, as was requested by the late metropolitan himself.

The service of the Third Day of Burial (yowma d’tlatha/d’bisma) will take place on Sunday, February 21, 2010, beginning with Holy Communion at 9:00 AM. The service will again be officiated by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV Catholicos-Patriarch, at Mar Gewargis Cathedral in Chicago.

We offer sincere thanks to all those who aided His Beatitude throughout the period of his illness and his passing.

“I am the Resurrection and the Life, whosoever believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live, and whosoever lives and believes in Me, shall never die,” — John 11: 25-26.

[N.B. This edited English translation was made by Rev. Deacon Ashur De Kelaita, taken from the Assyrian version edited by Rev. Fr. Antwan Lachin]

Alaha Manyikhlokhon Qasi.
Our condolences to the Catholicos Patriarch His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV
and to all the prelates, clergy and members of the Assyrian Church of the East and
to our beloved Aumta Ashureyta.
Mar Narsai was not only devoted and faithful to his Mother Church The Assyrian Church of the East,
but also to his beloved Assyrian Nation which he loved dearly.
Alaha Manyikhlokh bruna Gabara d'Aumta Gabarta Ashureyta.

— Assyrian Enterprise —