of the ancient relics of the Assyrian Church of the East, which have been present in China since the establishment of missions to China in the early history of the Church of the East. Gewargis also made historical visits to the regions of Mardin and Hakkâri, now in southern Turkey, where there are many relics of the Assyrian Church of the East dating back to the early history of the Church. Metropolitan Gewargis established a library within the Metropolitan's residence, which now houses hundreds of ancient manuscripts. While in Baghdad, he established the Metropolitan's Press, and had a number of liturgical books and other volumes of a catechetical nature printed for worldwide use. In 2009 he established the Urhai (Edessa) private elementary school in Baghdad. Gewargis has been active in ecumenical forums and fraternal exchange between the Assyrian Church of the East, and other eastern churches and ecclesiastical organisations, in particular with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the Council of the Heads of Churches in Baghdad. Election and consecration as Catholicos-Patriarch Between 16–18 September 2015, the Council of Prelates of the Assyrian Church of the East met in a Synod in the Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist in Erbil, Iraq. On 18 September 2015, the Prelates elected Mar Gewargis Sliwa as the 121st Catholicos-Patriarch of the Holy See of Seleucia-Ctesiphon. On 27 September 2015 he was consecrated and enthroned as Catholicos-Patriarch in the Church, with Mar Aprem Mooken, Metropolitan of Malabar and India, and Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan of Australia, New Zealand and Lebanon presiding. Mar Gewargis Sliwa formally assumed the ecclesiastical name Mar Gewargis III. On 6 September 2021, Mar Gewargis III formally stepped down as Catholicos-Patriarch during an Extraordinary Session of the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East, leaving the Patriarchal See vacant. On 8 September 2021, the Holy Synod elected Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California and Secretary of the Holy Synod, to succeed Mar Gewargis III as Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East. References External links Official biography of His Holiness, Mar Gewargis III Catholicos Patriarchs of the Assyrian Church of the East 20th-century bishops of the Assyrian Church of the East Living people 1941 births University of Baghdad alumni People from Al Anbar Governorate Iraqi Assyrian people Iraqi Christians 21st-century bishops of the Assyrian Church of the East