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Shlama Akhay,

Beginning on Feb. 2nd of this year, the Rogation of the Ninevites begins (and lasts for three days.) This ancient fast has been kept by the Ninevites from the time of Jonah to this very day, within the CoE, SoC and Chaldean Catholic churches. But rather than a strictly Assyrian festival, it is a UNIVERSAL message of God's love for all people, and His mercy towards us...even the Gentiles. If you'd like to, feel free to fast with us during this time.

A quote from Mar Ephraem:


When compared with that repentance,
This of ours is like a dream;
In the presence of that supplication,
This of ours is but a shadow..

Son of Mattai (Jonah), how has the city of Nineveh
Offended you that you awaited its dying?
If you are a zealous man, go uproot first
The city [Jerusalem] that I [God] made pleasant, but gave withered fruits .
But if you are merciful with the faithless,
Why is your anger poured out upon penitent [of the Ninevites]?

The vine as a bride I led out from Egypt [the Jewish Exodus].
Instead of blossoms she bore sins.
Nineveh as clusters of grapes bore fasts
and as bunches of grapes all just deeds.

Instead of clusters arrayed in leaves
Her children put on sackcloth.
And instead of watering that makes fruits flourish
Milk was withheld the mouths of her children.

He sent him [Jonah] to land; he fled to sea.
He sent him to Nineveh; he boarded a ship.
To Nineveh He sent him to awaken the peoples.
He slept on the ship; the peoples awakened him!

On the ship they asked him, ???Who are you and whose????
In Nineveh they believed him without questioning.

Who made known to the Ninevites
These hidden divine mysteries?
That fasting was able to remit
The stern decree of God?
Jonah did not give them this information,
For he feared lest they should be pardoned.

Blessed be the soul who increased penitence in Ashur. (Assyria)