About the Syriac Heritage Project

Why we started the Syriac Heritage Project

After the massacres in the 19th century and the massacres of Sayfo 1915, our Syriac Orthodox Church faithful were forced to leave their historical homeland in Southern Turkey to the surrounding countries including Syria, Lebanon, Palestine/Israel, and Iraq. During Sayfo, our faithful and clergy were massacred, our churches and monasteries were destroyed, and most of our spiritual and cultural heritage of more than 2000 years was wiped out.

The Syriac Orthodox Church and people were forced to establish new churches and new communities in their new countries. The forced migration continued in the 20th and 21st centuries to the degree that there are only a few thousands left living in the countries listed above. The Syriac population outside the Middle Eastern countries in Europe, North America, India and other countries is much bigger now than the population left living in the Middle East.

After all the turbulence and mass migration, our Syriac Heritage was almost lost. Today it survives primarily in our Syriac Orthodox liturgy and in the libraries of some monasteries, certain universities, and leading institutional libraries where books are published and conferences are held. However, our Syriac people often can’t join these institutions or access the knowledge about their Syriac heritage and their ancestors. Collectively, our people’s knowledge about our Syriac heritage is poor and our youth and young adults’ knowledge is almost non-existent because they are not learning about their heritage.

Despite its profound historical contributions, Syriac heritage faces significant contemporary challenges, primarily stemming from ongoing conflict, displacement, and political marginalization in its ancestral lands. Countries like Syria and Iraq continue to pose threats of extinction to Syriac heritage and culture. Systematic suppression of Syriac in education and public life has led to substantial language erosion, resulting in many individuals losing proficiency in spoken dialects and familiarity with Syriac script. For diaspora communities, the rapid loss of fluency due to assimilation into new linguistic environments presents a continuous threat to cultural continuity. Furthermore, post-conflict Syria grapples with immense hurdles in rebuilding essential infrastructure, ensuring physical safety, and providing viable economic opportunities, all of which directly impede the potential for sustainable return and reintegration of displaced populations.

The Syriac Heritage Project is dedicated to the preservation, study, and promotion of the Syriac cultural traditions and preserving one of the world’s oldest and most influential cultural traditions. This online resource offers an exploration of Syriac history, language, literature, and contributions to global readers, making it accessible to scholars, researchers, and the general public worldwide. 

The Syriac Heritage Project is a non-profit, tax-exempt, and volunteer based organization that encourages the sharing of its content and for personal or educational purposes, reinforcing its commitment to widespread knowledge dissemination. Therefore, don’t hesitate to share this newsletter with anyone. By providing a centralized, accessible, and free resource, the project seeks to empower individuals and institutions to engage with this extraordinary heritage, ensuring its legacy continues to inspire future generations. The Syriac Heritage Project grows and sustains its operations through the work of volunteers and the donations from individuals and institutions.