The Laus Plena Foundation supports the publication of a Study on the Iraqi Beth Gazo by Fr. Yasir Attallah

Publication of a comparative Study on the Iraqi Beth Gazo of Baghdida (Quaraquosh) by Fr. Yasir Attallah

It is a great pleasure for the Laus Plena Foundation to support the publication (in the collection of the publications of the Syriac Catholic diocese of Mosul) of a comparative Study by Fr. Yasir Attallah from the Syriac Catholic Church, Community of the Brothers of Jesus the Saviour (Baghdeda, Ninive Plain, Iraq), on three manuscripts of the Eastern Syriac Beth Gazo formerly used in the territory of today’s Iraq. It is the first time that such a comparative analysis has been made and is made accessible to the scientific community and researchers. This Study restitutes to the Syriac Community the chant texts used in the Syriac Eastern tradition before switching to the usage of the printed version of the Beth Gazo, which rather follows the Syriac Western tradition’s (i.e. Lebanon, Jerusalem, Syria and Turkey) usage. A short version of this Study for daily use in church celebrations and prayers is planned to be published with the support of the Laus Plena Foundation at a later stage.

The very thorough and meticulous work of Fr. Yasir Attallah deserves the greatest consideration and encouragement. It has been undertaken in particularly difficult years for the Christian communities in Iraq, in the wake of the known events that led to their temporaneous exile in Erbil-Ainkawa in the years 2014-2017. Generally, native academic researchers work in very adverse conditions from all standpoints. They are requested an extraordinary amount of perseverance, idealism and courage to finalize their researches and to apply high scientific quality standards. 

Fr. Yasir Attallah has published numerous books and studies on various topics of Syriac theology and culture. With the Iraqi Beth Gazo publication, he unveil new insights on some of the hidden treasures of Syriac Christianity in Iraq. 

May this publication and the work of Fr. Yasir Atallh be an encouragement to many other native researchers to stand up for their beautiful, deeply spiritual tradition and culture, so that it may be given new life, and may nourish with its riches the future generations. 

The Laus Plena Foundation