Mar Shimun (Mar Shimun XXI Benyamin)

Mar Shimun XXI Benyamin was the Patriarch, or spiritual leader, of the Assyrian Church of the East from 1903 until his assassination in 1933. As the head of a historic Christian community with roots stretching back to ancient Persia, he played a key role in guiding his congregation through a period of political upheaval, including the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the genocide of Armenians and Assyrians during World War I. His leadership aimed to preserve his community’s religious identity and cultural heritage amid significant challenges and persecution.