▁Church . ▁Patri arch ▁B id aw id ▁could ▁speak ▁ 1 3 ▁languages . ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁Be ir ut , ▁Leb anon ▁on ▁July ▁ 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 8 1 . ▁ ▁Past oral ▁Work ▁▁ ▁Patri arch ▁B id aw id ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁champion ▁of ▁the ▁un ification ▁of ▁the ▁Ass y rian ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁( former ly ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁East ) ▁and ▁the ▁Chal de an ▁Catholic ▁Church , ▁which ▁split ▁in ▁ 1 5 5 2 ▁AD . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Mar ▁D ink ha ▁IV ▁of ▁the ▁Ass y rian ▁Church ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁and ▁Chal de an ▁Patri arch ▁Rap ha el ▁I ▁B id aw id ▁met ▁in ▁South field , ▁Michigan , ▁and ▁signed ▁a ▁J oint ▁Patri arch al ▁Stat ement ▁that ▁committed ▁their ▁two ▁churches ▁to ▁working ▁towards ▁re integration ▁and ▁p led ged ▁co operation ▁on ▁past oral ▁questions ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁draft ing ▁of ▁a ▁common ▁c ate ch ism , ▁the ▁setting ▁up ▁of ▁a ▁common ▁sem inary ▁in ▁the ▁Chicago - Det roit ▁area , ▁the ▁pres ervation ▁of ▁the ▁Ar ama ic ▁language , ▁and ▁other ▁common ▁past oral ▁programs ▁between ▁par ishes ▁and ▁dioc eses ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁the ▁two ▁Patri arch s ▁met ▁again , ▁in ▁Ros elle , ▁Illinois ,