Shimun XVI Yohannan
Mar Shimun XVI Yohannan was Patriarch of the Qodshanis branch of the Assyrian Church of the East from 1780, and since 1804 he remained the sole Catholicos-Patriarch, because the last patriarch of the rival Eliya line Eliya XIII Ishoyahb died without successor. Shimun XVI remained patriarch until his death in 1820.
Until 1804, there were two rival patriarchal lines within the Assyrian Church of the East, senior Eliya line in Alqosh and junior Shemon line in Qochanis. Last patriarch of the senior line Eliya XIII Ishoyahb died in 1804 and was buried in the ancient Rabban Hormizd Monastery. Since he had no successor, Shimun XVI Yohannan of the junior line became the sole Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East.
