New head of the Chaldean Catholic Church takes office in Baghdad
Kyiv • UNN
Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako has officially headed the Chaldean Catholic Church in Baghdad. He replaced Emmanuel III Delly amidst a mass exodus of Christians from Iraq.
The new Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, Paulis III Nona, has officially assumed his duties in Baghdad. This was reported by the Associated Press, according to UNN.
Details
58-year-old Amel Shamon Nona succeeds Cardinal Louis Sako, who retired in March. Previously, the new Patriarch served as the Archbishop of Mosul and Sydney; his election took place on April 12.
The appointment of Paulis III Nona comes amid a prolonged decline of the Christian community in Iraq.
Following the 2003 US invasion and during the reign of the "Islamic State" group, thousands of Christians fled the country due to persecution, violence, and the destruction of churches.
Although ISIS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, the size of the Christian population remains significantly smaller than it was before the conflicts began.