Welcome to our first official newsletter! 

The Mar Shimun Memorial Foundation was founded in the aftermath of the shocking assassination of H.H. Mar Eshai Shimun, Catholicos Patriarch of the East, in 1975.  We expanded into a web presence in 2006 with the launch of the English version of, “The History of the Patriarchal Succession of the d’Mar Shimun Family” written by Theodorus d’Mar Shimun, elder brother of Mar Eshai Shimun.      

Our Foundation’s goals are multiple:  To continue H.H. Mar Shimun’s vision of investing in education, to support communities of Assyrians that are in need of financial assistance, and to publish factual content on our website that relates to the broader aspects of modern Assyrian history.  From our humble beginnings, we have continuously posted archival documents, photographs, and links to published research relating to Mar Eshai Shimun’s efforts on behalf of the Church of the East and the broader Assyrian community.  

As we have evolved, so has our site.  In addition to many newly discovered archival photographs, we’ve added an extensive Patriarchal Timeline covering the life and times of the last six Mar Shimun patriarchs.  These detailed historical chronologies bring together and contextualize extracts from a wide-array of known sources of information relating to the Patriarchs, and the life and times of Church of the East Assyrians from the early 19th through the late 20th centuries.  We are currently in the process of adding pertinent passages from the previously unpublished, newly translated private diaries and correspondence of Mar Eshai’s aunt Surma Khanum covering the lifetimes of the last three Mar Shimun patriarchs. 

Our aim is twofold:  1.) To provide as accurate and complete an accounting of facts, events, and perspectives relating to this crucial period of modern Assyrian history as possible; and 2.) To assist and inspire scholars and researchers of Assyrian culture and history with their own research, writings and work.  We invite and welcome your feedback and contributions to help improve this immense, community-based research project. 

In our next update, we’ll be sharing with you further goals for 2021 that our Foundation is greatly excited about, including: 1.) Our potential involvement in donations to higher education that focus on Near-Eastern Studies; 2.) Updating and expanding a second edition of the Honorable Theodorus d’Mar Shimun’s book; 3.) Identifying and adding newly discovered photographs, documents, and translations; 4.) Colorization of archival photographs; and 5.) Potential collaborations with other Assyrian cultural organizations.     

We are excited that you have decided to follow our blog and grateful for all the incredible support we’ve received over the years from many different individuals.  Please send us any thoughts or ideas as to how we might improve our site and expand our content, and stay tuned for our next newsletter! (In the meantime, don’t forget to enter our book giveaway drawing by March 31st).  

Thank you!

The team at MarShimun.com.