Today 9th July 2024 marks 35th anniversary of the establishment of St. Ephraim Syrian Orthodox Church in Perth with the arrival of V. Rev. Fr. Boutros

Today, 9th July 2024, marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of St. Ephraim Syrian Orthodox Church, in Perth, Western Australia with the arrival of :

V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa [Ramo Khoshaba Marya],

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together with Bathqyomo Marine Khoury-Issa (2016+) and their youngest son Afodyakno Theodore Issa.

Deriving from the book edited by V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa 'With Life' which is "A Swift Journey in the life of V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa - An outstanding service for more than sixty years for The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch" of 2021, I will be marking this milestone with some images also taken from the same book with some pieces of major news.

Indeed, this year V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa marks the 65th anniversary of his priesthood ordination, the 55th anniversary of his archpriest promotion, and today 9th July 2024, marks the 35th anniversary of the commencement of service in Perth, Western Australia. May God bless always.

Following thirty-one continuous years of service at the St. Ephraim Syrian Orthodox Church, in Amman, Jordan, from 5th January 1959 – 6th July 1989, and with the prior approval of H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, the Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church (2014+), V. Rev. Fr. Issa departed Amman heading to Australia to continue his ministry at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch that is now spread around the world. As he arrived in Australia he established the St. Ephraim Syrian Orthodox Church in Perth, Western Australia. The first Divine Liturgy was held on 16th July 1989:

Indeed, V. Rev. Fr. Issa departed Amman heading to Australia to continue his ministry at the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch that is now spread around the world. V. Rev. Fr. Issa arrived in Australia, accompanied by Bathqyomo Marine (2016+) and their youngest son Theodore, to serve the small community in the Western side of Australia, which was nick-named ‘The Small Flock’ by H.H. Zakka I (2014+).

At the beginning of his ministry in Perth, V. Rev. Fr. Issa commenced with bible studies and religious teachings that he used to hold in the community homes, until he rented a church where the lessons continued with other services that were all held in the church. V. Rev. Fr. Issa was assisted by his youngest son ‘Theodore’ as a Qoroyo, until the arrival of the eldest son ‘Touma’, as an Afodyakno, in February 1992, when activities were expanded.

In addition, and during the years 2006-2011 V. Rev. Fr. Issa served some of the brethren from the Syriac Orthodox Church in India, who found in Australia a second home, until the Mapheryono Baselious Thomas I appointed a priest (i.e., Rev. Fr. Jomon Thomas) for them. V. Rev. Fr. Issa, with God’s grace, continues to oversee this small community in Perth to this day.

In 1994, V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa welcomed H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, the Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church (2014+), accompanied by H.E. Mor Timathawous Aphrem Abboudi, (2019+) the Patriarchal Vicar of Australia and New Zealand then. Divine Liturgy was celebrated, ordinations of deacons and other activities were organized for this Apostolic visit. V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa recorded a speech about the history of the church, prior to the video that was recorded for this visit. The speech can be reached on this link.

The years were busy, with different activities, one of the major ones would be the weekly Newsletter NOOHRO ????? in Syriac and English that was published starting 1995 until 2016. Some of the issues can be reached on this link.

There is also the website that can be reached on this link.

There is the YouTube - which includes some hymns and one Divine Liturgy celebrated by V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa assisted by the Rev. Deacons at St. Ephraim Syrian Orthodox Church, in Perth Western Australia can be reached at this link.

The activities are immense and cannot be summarized in one article. Yet, we can mention another major milestone in the life of St. Ephraim which would be the two visits of H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East the Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church to Perth, Western Australia in November 2017 and June 2018. Here are some images:

During the 2018 Apostolic visit the SAYFO plaque was installed at St. Peter's church:

As we congratulate V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa on the great and still ongoing service to the Holy Syriac Orthodox Church, we pray for God the Almighty to bless you immensely.

Theodora Issa

The main sources of this entry:

• The book edited by V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa 'With Life: A Swift Journey in the life of V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa - An outstanding service for more than sixty years for The Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch' of 2021.
• V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa's webpage
• The LIGHT NOOHRO weekly bulletin by V. Rev. Fr. Boutros Touma Issa
• Theodora Issa's LinkedIn