The Syriac Church belongs to one of the oldest Christian traditions in the world. For over 2,000 years, the faith has been passed on through Aramaic prayers, sacred hymns, fasting, celebration, and folk devotion. Shaped by the early Church, preserved through persecution and migration, it has been carried forward generation after generation—often under difficult circumstances.
Today, many Syriacs live in new homelands—in Sweden, Europe, and the United States—where the rhythm of daily life and society looks very different from that of the Middle East. At the same time, the need is growing to understand, preserve, and pass on this spiritual and cultural heritage to new generations. It is in this reality that Josef Aslan, a deacon who has been actively involved in church life and its many organizations since childhood, has written A Guide to Syriac Church Traditions—a book that has already gained significant attention and heartfelt appreciation throughout Sweden.
With a humble and accessible tone, Josef explains in 15 chapters the Syriac Church’s theology, structure, and lived expressions. He does so in a way that speaks both to those new to the faith and to those seeking a deeper understanding. The book covers baptism, fasting, the Eucharist, prayer life, feast days, dress, and religious symbolism. It also highlights the unique popular traditions of the Aramaic-Syriac people—customs that bridge home and church.
For example, readers are introduced to siboro, the tradition of honoring saints with bulgur and meat, making hair promises to God at a child’s birth, and the custom of Easter visits to relatives and neighbors—expressions that integrate family life, culture, and faith into one sacred whole.
One of the book’s most important contributions is its opening chapter, which offers a historical and theological introduction to the Syriac Church and its roots in the early Christian movement. Josef explores how the tradition has been shaped by the genocide of Seyfo, ongoing persecution in the Middle East, and Western missionary activity that has at times undermined the Church’s own theological language. It is a gentle yet clear reminder that history affects the present—and that identity is not only about liturgy but also about survival, continuity, and spiritual self-awareness.
Yet A Guide to Syriac Church Traditions is far from a call to isolation. On the contrary, the book shows how, even in diaspora, we can live our faith with pride, insight, and engagement—rooted in a rich tradition yet open to the wider world. The Syriac tradition need not be seen as foreign in Europe or North America. Rather, it offers depth, beauty, and sacredness in a time when much of traditional Christian expression has become watered down or superficial.
This is a book for our time. It speaks to youth, families, church leaders, and all engaged believers. It serves as a tool for conversation, teaching, and reflection—but most of all, it supports people in living their faith in everyday life, in exile, without losing their roots.
Interest in the book has been strong. Many have expressed joy and relief at finally having an accessible and relevant resource on their faith and traditions in Swedish. It has quickly spread to parishes, homes, and youth groups across the country—and there is already growing demand for an English version.
Although the book is currently only available in Swedish, it is clear that it needs to be translated. We sincerely hope the author will take this initiative in the near future so that even more people across the Syriac diaspora can access the vital knowledge and insight this book offers.
The book is available via Antiokia’s Bookstore at St. Peter & Paul Syriac Orthodox Church in Botkyrka, as well as online through Bokus.se and Korsets Kloster:
📘 Bokus
📘 Korsets Kloster
To live our faith in exile is not a weakness – it is a calling. This book shows that our faith endures, even here.