Youhannan Semaan Issayi

Mar Youhannan Semaan Issayi 1914 -یوحنا سمعان عیسائی) 1999) was the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tehran of the Chaldean Catholics from March 16, 1971 until his death on February 7, 1999. He was born in Sanandaj سنندج, Iran on June 27, 1914 and ordained priest on March 3, 1940 and consecrated bishop on, October 22, 1967, in Iran.
==Additional titles==
 
*Coadjutor Archbishop of Sehna of the Chaldeans (Iran): (September 1, 1967 – March 7, 1970)
*Titular Archbishop of Hieropolis: (September 1, 1967 – March 7, 1970)
*Metropolitan Archbishop of Sehna of the Chaldeans (Iran): (March 7, 1970 – March 16, 1971.
== Education==
His Excellency attended the Chaldean Seminary in Mosul for formation and left to Rome on 1933. He attended the Pontifical Urbaniana University, where he earned a master's degree in both philosophy and theology. He then pursued doctoral studies and obtained his PHD. During his academic career he mastered 8 languages: the classic Syriac, Colloquial Syriac 
(Modern Assyrian), Persian, Arabic, English, French, Italian, and Latin.
==Priesthood life ==
He was ordained as priest on 1940 and elevated to the rank of Archbishop in October 22nd 1967. His excellency Metropolitan Mar Youhannan Issayi for more than half century dedicated his life and earnestly served the Assyro-Chaldean Catholic Congregation at Tehran, Hamadan, Kermanshah, Qazvin, and Sanandaj. He supervised several construction projects of the churches, schools, and other charity institutions affiliated to the Assyro-Chaldean Catholic Church at Tehran Diocese.
== Writer and Translator ==
Translation of Easter Rite Mass book from Aramaic into Modern Colloquial Syriac. Writer of extensively religious or Historic issues in modern Assyrian including an unpublished comprehensive Syriac Dictionary.Writer of different religious books for Assyro-Chaldean students from elementary to high school levels.Mar Youhannan was Editor of the church's -periodicals named Marga and Payam published in Persian and modern Assyro-Chaldean.Mar Youhannan published a poetry book devoted to the Virgin Mary and besides of his clergy services, he was a professor of Aramaic and Assyrian language.
== Hymnist ==
Mar Youhannan composed many Assyro-Chaldean hymns (music & lyric) for the Christmass Mass, Good Friday and Easter Mass.These hymns were harmonized in poly phonic by Maestro Paulus Khofri and since now are performing by the Saint Joseph's Church Choir of Tehran and other church choirs worldwide.
==External links==
*http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bissayi.html
*http://www.gcatholic.com/dioceses/diocese/tehr0.htm#10223
*http://banipal.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=127
Category:Iranian bishops
Category:Chaldean archbishops
Category:Iranian Eastern Catholics
Category:People from Sanandaj
Category:People from Tehran
Category:1914 births
Category:1999 deaths