Chaldean Fast: Feast of Nineveh

Fast of Nineveh (‫ܒܥܘܬܐ ܕܢܝܢܘܝ̈ܐ‬‎ – Bā’ūṯā d-Nīnwāyē) also called Petition of the Ninevites, Fast of Jonah, etc. is a three-day fast that commemorates the three days Prophet Jonah spent inside the fish (stories and prayers will be in the next posts) and the repentance of the Ninevites at the hands of prophet Jonah according to the Holy Bible. This fast is held by Chaldean Catholics, and Oriental Orthodox. Patriarchs of the Chaldean Catholic Church and Other Churches also called for extra fasts in an effort to alleviate the suffering and affliction of those persecuted by ISIS in the region of Nineveh and the rest of the Middle East. The faithful traditionally refrain from food and drink from early Morning to 12pm and refrain from meat and diary products for three consecutive days, from Monday till Wednesday (to make it more clear, we Fast from early morning to 12pm eating and drinking nothing and then after 12pm we can eat and drink anything except for meat and diary products). For 3 days, people go to church at morning 10 am for prayers and mass at 11:30 am and end the refrain from food and drinks by receiving the Holy Eucharist at 12 pm. Would be great if you would like to join us and fast! Let me know in the comments! Let us pray together for God to have mercy on us and save us just like He saved the Ninevites!

ܒܵܥܘܼܬܼܵܐ ܡܒ݂ܘܼܵܪܚܿܬܵܐ! ♱

(Blessed Bautha) (Bautha is the name of the Fast, which means Petitions of people)

ܡܵܪܸܢ ܐܲܬܼܪܵܚܡܲܥܠܲܝܼܢ ♱ ܡܵܪܢ ܩܲܒܸܠ ܒܵܥܘܼܬܼܲܢ ♱

(Lord have Mercy on us ♱ Lord accept our petitions ♱)

The Feast of St. Stephen in the Chaldean Church

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” -St Stephen

ܡܵܪܝ ܐ̄ܣܛܲܦܵܢܘܿܣ (Mar Istapanos- St Stephen)

Today, the Chaldean Catholic Church celebrated the Feast of St Stephen

St Stephen, the first Martyr and First Deacon, pray for us!

Today was a great day! All Deacons attended mass and our parish considers us altar servers deacons as well, because not only we serve the altar but also do things that deacons do. We held a great celebration and some other things we did other than serving the altar is chanted with the deacons and instead of the priest reading the Bible the deacons read the Bible during mass in many different languages including Classical Aramaic, Modern Aramaic, French, German, Kurdish, Arabic and many more languages, representing Evangelization! After mass we had breakfast with deacons. It was a great morning! ___________________________

“Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth against him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

-Acts 7:54-60

Happy Feast Day!