Il Cardinale Louis Sako non parteciperà al prossimo sinodo della chiesa caldea per la nomina del prossimo patriarca

By Baghdadhope* - Patriarcato Caldeo

Con una lettera ufficiale inviata all'amministratore patriarcale della chiesa caldea, Monsignor Habib H. Al-Naufali, il Cardinale Louis Raphael Sako, dimessosi pochi giorni fa dalla carica patriarcale ha annunciato la sua intenzione di non partecipare al sinodo che dovrà nominare il suo successore perché "non si possa dire che sono intervenuto, ho influenzato o sostenuto un candidato piuttosto che un altro."

Nella lettera il Cardinale Sako ha annunciato anche la sua intenzione di lasciare la sede patriarcale di Baghdad per trasferirsi ad Ankawa, nella regione autonoma del Kurdistan iracheno, per "vivere in pace, in serenità e gioia" e di non "interferire negli affari del futuro patriarca."

In questi momenti, considerando quanto l'Iraq, e proprio il nord ed Erbil, la capitale della regione autonoma del Kurdistan iracheno, siano in stato di massimo allarme a causa della guerra Israele/USA contro l'Iran che ha provocato danni alle infrastrutture, (aeroporto di Erbil in primis) feriti e morti, non è prevedibile quando il Cardinale Sako potrà trasferirsi. 
La situazione fa inoltre pensare che anche per le difficoltà o addirittura l'impossibilità a raggiungere la zona il prossimo sinodo potrebbe tenersi non più in Iraq ma altrove, magari a Roma. Si tratterà pur sempre di un sinodo "delicato" che dovrà sostituire non un patriarca deceduto o molto malato, come è stato nel casi dei predecessori del Cardinale Sako, il patriarca Mar Raphael I Bedaweed e Mar Emmanuel III Delly, ma di un patriarca in salute che pur avendo già superato i limiti di età due anni fa era stato incoraggiato a proseguire la sua missione da Papa Francesco.
Un sinodo che dovrà anche affrontare dei dissidi interni alla chiesa che hanno portato alcuni vescovi a prendere posizione contro lo stesso patriarcato disertando dei sinodi, esprimendo pubblicamente le proprie contrarietà o agendo non in armonia con le sue direttive, lo scandalo che solo qualche giorno prima delle dimissioni del Cardinale Sako ha portato all'arresto da parte delle autorità americane con l'accusa di appropriazione indebita il vescovo degli Stati Uniti occidentali, Monsignor Emmanuel H. Shaleta e la nomina delle sede vacante di Alqosh (nord dell'Iraq) dopo l'improvvisa scomparsa, lo scorso giugno, del suo vescovo Monsignor Thabet Mekko.  

Ma come si elegge un patriarca delle chiesa caldea? 
Secondo il Codice di Diritto Canonico delle Chiese Orientali (CCEO)

Il Sinodo dei Vescovi della Chiesa patriarcale deve riunirsi nella residenza patriarcale (Baghdad) oppure in un altro luogo da designare dall’Amministratore della chiesa patriarcale (Monsignor Al Naufali)  col consenso del Sinodo permanente. 
L'ultimo sinodo permanente si è riunito a Baghdad nel novembre 2025 ed era composto dal patriarca Cardinale Mar Louis Sako, dall'attuale amministratore patriarcale sede vacante Monsignor Habib H- Al Naufali, il più anziano per ordinazione tra i vescovi del Sinodo permanente; .dal Vicario patriarcale Monsignor Basel Yaldo, dal vescovo di Tehran, Monsignor Imad Khoshaba e dal vescovo della California ora coinvolto dalle questioni giudiziarie succitate Monsignor Emmanuel H. Shaleta.   

Il sinodo per la nomina del nuovo patriarca deve avvenire entro un mese a partire dalla data di vacanza della sede patriarcale (10 marzo da Bollettino ufficiale della Santa Sede) fermo restando un tempo più lungo (ma non eccedente i due mesi) stabilito dal diritto particolare.

Ad avere voce attiva nella elezione del nuovo patriarca sono solo i membri del Sinodo dei vescovi che, legittimamente convocati, hanno un grave obbligo di partecipare all'elezione.

Se qualche vescovo ritiene di avere "giusto impedimento" e non poter partecipare al sinodo deve esporre le sue ragioni al Sinodo ed a decidere sulla legittimità di tale impedimento saranno i vescovi presenti all'inizio delle sessioni dello stesso.

Una volta fatta la convocazione, e tolti i vescovi che non partecipano al sinodo per legittimo impedimento, se due terzi di quelli che vi partecipano sono presenti il sinodo può procedere all'elezione. 
Ad essere eletto patriarca sarà il nominato che ha riportato due terzi dei voti a meno che per diritto particolare non sia stabilito che dopo almeno tre scrutini infruttuosi sia sufficiente la sola maggioranza dei voti.

Se entro quindici giorni dalla prima  riunione il Sinodo non ha ancora eletto il nuovo patriarca la questione passa direttamente nelle mani del Sommo Pontefice, Leone XIV in questo caso. 

Dal momento della sua elezione a patriarca il prescelto ha due giorni di tempo per decidere se accettare la carica.
Se lo fa l'eletto deve richiedere per iscritto al Pontefice la comunione ecclesiastica e nel frattempo non può né convocare sinodi e né nominare vescovi. Il nuovo patriarca potrà esercitare validamente il suo ufficio solo successivamente all'intronizzazione.
Il Cardinale Sako, in quanto patriarca che ha rinunciato alla propria carica, conserverà il suo titolo ed gli onori soprattutto nel corso delle celebrazioni liturgiche, avrà diritto all'assegnazione, con il suo consenso, di una degna abitazione e che gli si forniscano i mezzi, provenienti dai beni della Chiesa, per il suo decoroso sostentamento. (Can. 62 CCEO)

EWTN News explains: How does the Chaldean Church elect its next patriarch?

By ETWN

Georgena Habbaba

March 11, 2026

Pope Leo XIV announced this week that he had accepted the resignation of Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako from the leadership of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and throughout the world after more than a decade of service marked by major pastoral and political challenges.

The resignation raises questions about the timing of the move — especially given the difficulties facing Iraq, home to the Chaldean patriarchal see — and the broader Middle East amid the horrors of war and renewed conflicts.

But other questions about the next step in this transitional period, and about how a successor to the resigned patriarch will be elected, may be even more pressing today for the faithful looking to the future at a time when the Church in Iraq and the countries of the East more broadly faces fundamental challenges to its presence in its historic homeland, especially the continuing drain of emigration.

An autonomous, self-governing church within the Catholic Church

The Chaldean Church, one of the churches born from the ancient Church of the East, is one of the Eastern Churches that follows the papal authority in Rome while at the same time enjoying “self-governance” under Canon 27 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. This allows it to manage its internal affairs in accordance with the law it has established for itself or with the higher authority in the Catholic Church.

It is also important to note that the process of electing a new patriarch is the same in all Eastern Catholic Churches.

How is a patriarch of the Chaldean Church elected?
The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, discussed by Father Salim Saka, a specialist in canon law, in his book on the Eastern Catholic patriarchates, lays out the mechanisms for electing a new patriarch. It first states that the bishop senior by episcopal ordination among the bishops of the patriarchal territory becomes the administrator of the Church when the patriarchal see is vacant, whether because of “the death of the patriarch or his resignation.”

The administrator is responsible for preparing everything necessary for the election of the new patriarch and for convoking the Synod of Bishops, whose members are in turn obliged to attend the election unless a legitimate impediment arises.

The code also affirms that the election of a patriarch “in a lawful manner” takes place in the Synod of Bishops of the Church, which must be held “at the patriarchal residence or in another place designated by the administrator with the consent of the synod” within one month from the date of the vacancy, while observing the particular law of the Church, provided that the period does not exceed two months.

Only the synod fathers have the right to vote. No one else may be present in the election hall, except clerics who assist in counting the votes and recording the proceedings. At the same time, the law does not require that the person elected patriarch already be a bishop at the time of the election.

A two-thirds quorum

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches sets the legal quorum at two-thirds of the synod fathers “after excluding those detained by a legitimate impediment,” so that the synod may be considered lawful and capable of electing the patriarch.

Unless there are different criteria under the particular law of the Church, the person who obtains a two-thirds majority is considered elected, underscoring the need for broad agreement on the future patriarch.

The synod fathers must observe the legal time frame for the election, which is 15 days. If the election fails within that period, the matter is referred to the Roman pontiff.

Acceptance, announcement, and enthronement

If the person elected does not declare his acceptance within two days, he loses every right acquired through the election. If he accepts, the synod announces the election of the new patriarch and sets the date for his enthronement.

The new patriarch must then request ecclesiastical communion from the Roman pontiff by a signed written letter as soon as possible. Although he does not begin to exercise his responsibilities lawfully until after enthronement, he may not convoke the Synod of Bishops or ordain any bishop before receiving ecclesiastical communion from the Roman pontiff.

What about the resigned patriarch?

The code also states that a patriarch who resigns from office “retains his title and dignity, especially in liturgical celebrations.”

A suitable residence is to be provided for him, with his consent, along with decent means of support.

Election, then hereditary succession, then election again

It is worth noting that Patriarch Shimun IV Basidi (1437–1497) introduced hereditary succession in the selection of patriarchs, replacing election, so that the choice of a new patriarch was restricted to members of the previous patriarch’s family. This provoked dissatisfaction and opposition within the Church, especially in 1539, when “Patriarch Shimun VII Ishoyahb (1538–1558) was compelled to ordain his nephew, who had scarcely reached the age of 12, as metropolitan because there was no one else in the patriarchal family.”

At that time, the opponents gathered and chose Yohannan Sulaqa as patriarch. He then went to Rome to establish union with the Catholic Church. There he received episcopal ordination from Pope Julius III in April 1553, who proclaimed him patriarch of the Chaldeans, vested him with the sacred pallium, and gave him the bull granting him authority over the East, India, and China, making him the first Chaldean patriarch in the “Catholic” Chaldean Church.

The roots of Christianity in Mesopotamia go back to the first centuries after Christ. According to tradition, the apostle Thomas is regarded as the founder and first preacher of Christianity there, together with Addai, one of the 72 disciples, and his disciples Aggai and Mari. In later ages, the Christians of Mesopotamia came to be known as the Church of the East.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Amministratore patriarcale per la chiesa caldea dopo le dimissioni del Cardinale Louis sako

By Baghdadhope* - Patriarcato Caldeo

Il sito del Patriarcato caldeo ha pubblicato la nomina di Monsignor Habib Hormuz Al-Naufali ad amministratore patriarcale dopo le dimissioni dalla carica patriarcale
del Cardinale Louis Sako.

Monsignor Al-Naufali in quanto membro più anziano del sinodo permanente della chiesa gestirà gli affari della stessa in virtù del Canone 127 del Codice di Diritto Canonico delle Chiese Orientali.

Rinuncia del Patriarca di Baghdad dei Caldei, del vescovo della California e nomina dell'amministratore apostolico

By Bollettino Sala Stampa Santa Sede - Patriarcato caldeo

Contemporaneamente alla pubblicazione ufficiale sul Bollettino della rinuncia del Patriarca di Baghdad dei Caldei, Cardinale Mar Louis Raphael Sako, a norma del can. 126 §2 del CCEO, è stata pubblicata la notizia della rinuncia del Vescovo di Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego dei Caldei (U.S.A.) S.E. Emanuel Hana Shaleta, e della nomina come Amministratore Apostolico sede vacante della medesima circoscrizione S.E. Saad Hanna Sirop, Vescovo titolare di Hirta, già amministratore apostolico in Europa dimessosi dalla carica lo scorso maggio. (con pubblicazione sul bollettino ufficiale del 1 luglio successivo) 

Il sito del Patriarcato caldeo ha pubblicato la nota sulla nomina di Monsignor Saad Sirop ad Amministratore Apostolico della diocesi di San Pietro Apostolo aggiungendo una breve biografia: 
Nato a Baghdad il 6 settembre 1972 ha conseguito una laurea in Ingegneria Aereonautica presso l'Università di Baghdad per poi laurearsi in Teologia presso l'Università Urbaniana di Roma nel 2001. Ordinato sacerdote a Roma del defunto patriarca Raphael Bedaweed il 13 ottobre del 2001 ha conseguito nel 2008 il dottorato di ricerca in filosofia presso la Pontificia Università Gregoriana.
Nel 2014 fu scelto come vescovo ausiliare del Patriarca Louis Raphael Sako e nello stesso  anno ed in quello successivo è stato preside del Babel College per la Filosofia e la Teologia ad Ankawa, nella regione autonoma del Kurdistan iracheno.
Nel 2016 è stato nominato come Amministratore Apostolico per l'Europa, carica dalla quale si è dimesso nel 2025.

Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako Submits His Resignation

By Chaldean Patriarchate

Two years ago, when I turned 75, I began thinking about submitting my resignation, and I had already discussed it with the late Pope Francis, but he encouraged me to remain. Yesterday morning, March 9, 2026, I decided, in full freedom, to submit it to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, so that I may quietly dedicate myself to prayer, writing, and simple service. He accepted it, and I requested that it be officially announced today at noon, March 10.

To prevent any misinterpretation, I confirm that no one forced me to do this; rather, I requested the resignation of my own will.

I led the Chaldean Church under extremely difficult circumstances and amid great challenges. I preserved the unity of its institutions and spared no effort in defending it and the rights of Iraqis and Christians, taking positions and maintaining a presence both inside and outside the country. My 13 years as Patriarch were years of loving pastoral care, follow-up, and growing up.

I thank God for the grace of love that He bestowed upon me, granting me love in the eyes of many and blessing me with beautiful moments. I also extend special thanks to my family and to those with whom I lived as a priest in Mosul, a bishop in Kirkuk, and a patriarch in Baghdad. They were truly my real family, and I am grateful to them.

I would like to especially thank my assistants, His Excellency Bishop Basilios Yaldo, Secretary Ekhlass Macdassy, the priests of Baghdad, and the staff of the Patriarchate. I will not forget them in my prayers. I also sincerely apologize to anyone whom I may have offended.

In these difficult times, I hope that the leadership of the Chaldean Catholic Church will be entrusted to a patriarch who possesses solid theological culture, courage, and wisdom—someone who believes in renewal, openness, and dialogue, and who also has a sense of humour. I will respect him and never interfere in his work

I am confident that God will take care of His Church.

I wrote my testament when I was still a priest and have renewed it several times. I own about forty million Iraqi dinars, five thousand US dollars, and five thousand euros from my salaries during 52 years of priestly service, in addition to another sum which is my share from the sale of my family home in Mosul. I do not own a house or a car, but my true wealth is my devoted service and the 45 books and many articles I have published.

Remember me in your prayers.

Pastoral letter to Saint Peter Chaldean diocese in San Diego in USA

By Chaldean Patriarchate

March 8, 2026

To the Reverend Priests, Deacons, and to the Faithful in the Diocese of St. Peter in California / United States of America

“To the Church of God in Corinth in San Diego, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be saints… in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord: grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:1–3)

With these words of the Apostle Paul, I address you in this exceptional and painful situation through which your beloved diocese is passing.

I ask you, as we are in the time of the Lent, not to allow division and discord, nor to give place to voices lying in wait to attack our Church, rather, I ask you to unity and harmony with a living conscience and a compassionate, faithful heart, far from the spirit of revenge or vindictiveness. Let the legal procedures take their course in revealing the truth and upholding justice. I assure you that I stand with justice, and for this reason I am in communication with the Holy See, hoping that the proper measures will soon be taken for the good of the diocese.

I had wished to come to you and stand beside you, but the current troubling and frightening circumstances in the region do not allow me to do it, it could in the future. For now, cooperate with Father Sabri Kijbo, the Vicar General, and His Excellency Bishop Francis Kalabat, who is present among you, in order to calm hearts and follow the proper path in the legal procedures.

“And peace and mercy be upon those who follow this rule… peace and mercy upon those who follow this rule… The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.” (Galatians 6:16–17)

Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako

Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad

Il cardinale Sako: “La guerra non è una soluzione”

By Vatican News
Olivier Bonnel e Jean-Charles Putzolu

Attacchi missilistici, razzi e droni iraniani ormai da una settimana colpiscono l’Iraq, così come altri Paesi del Medio Oriente, in risposta ai bombardamenti israeliani e statunitensi sulla Repubblica islamica.
La città di Erbil, capitale autonoma del Kurdistan iracheno, ha subito numerosi raid, così come il resto del Paese: dai giacimenti petroliferi come quelli di Bassora, nel sud, all'aeroporto della capitale Baghdad.
Il rischio sempre più concreto è che il conflitto si estenda a tutta la regione, e il patriarca caldeo di Baghdad, il cardinale Louis Raphaël I Sako, non nasconde la sua preoccupazione: “Nessuno sa dove porterà questa guerra. Lo stesso scenario lo abbiamo vissuto nel 2003", afferma ai media vaticani, mettendo in guardia da "caos, disordini, vendette e attacchi". I timori di una nuova escalation

Sebbene le milizie sciite filo-iraniane in Iraq siano state finora relativamente estranee al conflitto, il patriarca sottolinea comunque i rischi a cui va incontro la società irachena, dove gli sciiti rappresentano quasi il 60% della popolazione. "Abbiamo paura perché siamo vicini dell'Iran e molti iracheni sono sciiti. C'è un sentimento contrastante". "Temiamo una nuova escalation che porterebbe a una guerra regionale su larga scala", continua il cardinale, menzionando gli attacchi che hanno colpito anche i Paesi del Golfo, la Turchia e l'Azerbaigian. "La guerra non è una soluzione – insiste – la diplomazia è ciò che può aiutare a risolvere i problemi".

Il capo della Chiesa caldea guarda anche con grande apprensione al destino delle comunità cristiane, in particolare nella Piana di Ninive, da cui molti sono stati costretti a fuggire a causa della persecuzione dello Stato Islamico: "Noi cristiani siamo molto preoccupati perché se cominciano ad attaccare la piana di Ninive, dove ci sono 50 mila cristiani, queste persone lasceranno le loro case e questa volta non torneranno più".

 Alzare la voce per la pace
"Ai cristiani ho chiesto di pregare per la pace durante tutte le Messe nelle chiese. Li ho invitati a prendere precauzioni, a essere cauti e a non perdere né il coraggio né la speranza”, prosegue Sako che, per allentare le tensioni, conta anche sulle voci di altri leader spirituali nel Paese: "Ho chiesto ai leader religiosi (musulmani, ndr) di alzare la voce per la pace, per la fraternità proprio come fece Francesco durante la sua visita in Iraq e il suo incontro con Al-Sistani".

Fu, quello, un momento storico, un faro per il futuro della convivenza interreligiosa in Iraq: era il 6 marzo 2021, cinque anni fa, quando, nella città santa di Najaf, il Papa incontrava il leader spirituale sciita. "Fu un incontro molto importante", racconta il cardinale, che ricorda le parole dell'ayatollah Al-Sistani: “Siamo parte di voi e voi siete parte di noi”.
Aveva così confermato ciò che aveva già detto Francesco: “Siamo fratelli”.

Lo stesso Al-Sistani, il 4 marzo scorso, mentre le bombe continuavano a piovere sulla regione, ha rilasciato una dichiarazione esprimendo tutta la sua preoccupazione per la guerra che si andava diffondendo nella regione.
Il suo appello era rivolto "a tutti gli attori internazionali influenti e ai Paesi del mondo, in particolare a quelli islamici” perché compiessero “ogni sforzo per porre immediatamente fine alla guerra e trovare una soluzione giusta e pacifica alla questione nucleare iraniana, in conformità con le norme del diritto internazionale".

In Iraq si teme un nuovo esodo dei cristiani. «Nessuno è al sicuro»

By Avvenire

Quando Teheran minaccia di attaccare «tutte le strutture» della regione del Kurdistan iracheno, mette sotto tiro la maggior parte dell’antica comunità cristiana del Paese. «Poco fa ho incontrato qui ad Alqosh una famiglia di Erbil, che fuggiva per rifugiarsi dalle bombe», racconta padre Ghazwan Baho, parroco della chiesa cattolica caldea della città nel nord del Paese, dedicata a san Giorgio, «e questo significa che i cristiani non sono più al sicuro». La sua comunità si trova nel cuore della piana di Ninive, a 45 chilometri da Mosul, per dieci anni roccaforte dell’Isis, e non molto distante dal confine con la Siria.

«Qualche giorno fa i missili iraniani hanno colpito le basi militari americane ad Erbil, che ora è la zona più rischiosa per noi», spiega il sacerdote, che dopo la capitolazione dell’Isis ha partecipato alla ricostruzione dei villaggi cristiani circondati dalle montagne. «Un drone ha distrutto anche una cappella accanto a un complesso di suore, nella cittadina di Ankawa da dove fuggiva la famiglia che conosco».
Al contrario, fino a poco tempo fa, testimonia padre Ghazwan, dal nord assediato dal Daesh i cristiani si rifugiavano nella zona di Erbil, che attualmente vede la più alta presenza di comunità cristiane. «C’è paura, sì – aggiunge –, però in questo momento il timore più grande è che non esista più un luogo nel Kurdistan dove i cristiani possano vivere in sicurezza, e che questa ennesima incertezza li porti a lasciare definitivamente l’Iraq».

Nelle parrocchie della regione non si smette di pregare per la pace, ma dalle istituzioni è arrivata la richiesta «di evitare i raggruppamenti», racconta ancora il parroco di San Giorgio. «L’arcieparchia di Erbil, invece, ha annullato il catechismo del venerdì, perché le scuole sono chiuse da giorni, anche se noi per il momento continuiamo a fare attività in parrocchia».
Se ancora non sono caduti missili su Alqosh, però, i cieli sopra la cittadina sono segnati senza sosta dalle scie dei droni diretti più a sud. «Ma se finisce la benzina o il gasolio sappiamo che possono colpirci da un momento all’altro – spiega ancora – e viviamo ogni giorno così, ormai da tanti anni».
La comunità parrocchiale di padre Ghazwan, infatti, è stata l’unica risparmiata dalla furia dell’Isis, nel 2014. «Una chiesa a dieci chilometri da noi, invece, ricostruita dopo essere stata devastata dal Daesh – continua – è stata colpita da due missili iraniani qualche giorno fa, perché è vicina a una base militare Usa».

In tutto questo, la vicinanza di papa Leone XIV alle popolazioni che stanno soffrendo per l’escalation militare in Medio Oriente, è un «sostegno molto importante», dice il sacerdote, che non ha mai abbandonato l’Iraq pur avendo la possibilità di venire in Italia. Mentre parla rivive quel 7 marzo di cinque anni fa, nel 2021, quando tra le rovine di Mosul ha avuto l’occasione di raccontare a papa Francesco, in visita apostolica nel Paese, la resistenza dei cristiani durante gli anni dell’oppressione da parte del califfato. «Insieme abbiamo pregato per la pace e la ricostruzione delle nostre città – ricorda –. E da quel momento tutte le comunità della regione sono rinate, e i cristiani hanno ripreso coraggio per tornare a vivere a Mosul». Allo stesso modo in questo momento la preghiera di Leone XIV è necessaria per «dare speranza alla gente di Ankawa», dice, perché «se loro fuggissero dal Paese, significherebbe avere un quarto dei cristiani in meno in Iraq».

Per padre Ghazwan, invece, il ruolo delle comunità cristiane deve essere quello dei «costruttori di pace», come ribadisce il cardinale Louis Raphaël Sako il, patriarca della Chiesa caldea in Iraq, e arcivescovo di Baghdad. «Il nostro patriarca sta chiedendo in tutti i modi al governo iracheno di non entrare in questa guerra – spiega il sacerdote –, né con l’Iran né contro, mentre sembra proprio che sia stia andando verso questa direzione». Ma se l’Iraq entra nel conflitto, confessa, «fra poco tempo i cristiani non saranno più presenti in questo Paese». Ora che le operazioni militari dell’Iran rischiano di allargarsi su tutto il territorio del Kurdistan, però, la paura sale. «Possiamo solo pregare, e sperare che tutto questo finisca il prima possibile».

Iraq: Chiesa caldea ricorda visita di Papa Francesco nel Paese. Card. Sako, “messaggeri di pace di tutte le religioni alzino la loro voce per fermare le guerre”

By AgenSIR - Patriarcato caldeo

“Mentre la regione vive nel mezzo di una guerra devastante, è necessario che i messaggeri di pace di tutte le religioni alzino la loro voce con forza per fermare le guerre e realizzare la pace a cui aspirano i popoli”.
È quanto affermato al Sir dal patriarca caldeo di Baghdad, card. Louis Raphael Sako, in occasione del quinto anniversario della visita (6 marzo 2021) del defunto Papa Francesco a Najaf e dell’incontro con il Grande Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, nonché della visita a Ur, patria di Abramo.
Questa ricorrenza, ricorda il cardinale, “coincide anche con la Giornata della Tolleranza Nazionale, proclamata dall’ex Primo Ministro, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi”. Per oggi la chiesa caldea aveva organizzato un pellegrinaggio a Ur per celebrare una preghiera per la pace, “ma le attuali circostanze – spiega il patriarca – non lo hanno reso possibile”.
La visita del Papa (5-8 marzo 2021), per Mar Sako, “ha rappresentato un evento di portata mondiale, per i profondi significati che ha lasciato e per il suo grande impatto, soprattutto perché è avvenuta in un contesto politico instabile. Durante l’incontro, Papa Francesco e il Grande Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani hanno scambiato opinioni sull’importanza di rafforzare il dialogo e la cooperazione tra le religioni come pilastro fondamentale per consolidare una cultura di amore, rispetto reciproco e collaborazione nella costruzione della pace e del futuro, nonché per respingere la violenza, le guerre e il linguaggio dell’odio e della divisione”. “Come Chiesa Caldea – conclude il patriarca Sako – mentre seguiamo la situazione con preoccupazione, sosteniamo gli sforzi per la pace e preghiamo affinché la tempesta passi”.

ذكرى زيارة البابا فرنسيس  للعراق (5-8 اذار 2021  ويوم التسامح الوطني

Bishop Shaleta arrested on charges of embezzlement, money laundering

By The Pillar

Chaldean Catholic Bishop Emanuel Shaleta was arrested Thursday on several counts of embezzlement and money laundering. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release Thursday that the bishop was picked up at the San Diego airport as he attempted to leave the United States.

The Pillar reported earlier this week that Shaleta was expected to travel to Rome. He had submitted his resignation to the Vatican earlier this year.

Shaleta, who leads the Chaldean Catholic eparchy covering the western half of the United States, was arrested on eight counts of embezzlement, eight counts of money laundering, and one count of aggravated white collar crime enhancement, the sheriff’s office said.

“Shaleta was transported and booked at the San Diego Central Jail for the aforementioned charges. He is currently being held on $125,000 bail and a hold under Penal Code section 1275.1 was approved by the court,” the press release said.

It added that the San Diego Sheriff’s Office was originally contacted by a representative of the church last August.

He appears the first sitting U.S. diocesan bishop to be arrested on felony charges related to financial crime.

The Pillar reported last month that Shaleta submitted his resignation in late January after a Vatican-ordered investigation into allegations of substantial embezzlement and personal misconduct.

The bishop was accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from his cathedral, attempting to reimburse missing funds with checks signed by him from a cathedral charity account.

He was also accused of visiting regularly the Hong Kong Gentlemen’s Club in Tijuana, which operates as a brothel close to the U.S.-Mexican border.

While Shaleta has insisted that he did not mishandle money, The Pillar reviewed financial records indicating that he “reimbursed” his cathedral with checks from its own charity account, signed by him, after reportedly directing a parish tenant and others to make payments to the parish through him in cash, which went unaccounted for.

The bishop has not offered an explanation for the reimbursement discrepancies in his diocesan accounts.

But in Feb. 22 remarks at his cathedral, the bishop insisted that he had not taken money, and that he was the victim of a media campaign and of Chaldeans in his diocese who opposed his leadership.

“Many of you have heard the news on social media, about Shaleta — myself — and about how I handled the Church money. I have never in my priestly life or episcopal life abused any of the Church money. On the contrary, I have done my best to preserve and manage the donations of the Church properly,” the bishop said Feb. 22, as his cathedral’s Sunday liturgy concluded.

“One donor from the community gave me money to give to the poor and to the needy. He told me, ‘I trust you, [Bishop], and I will not ask for any receipts —- give this money to the poor that you know.’”

While the bishop insisted that he did give money to the poor, he told his congregation Sunday that “a financial committee member of our Church reported to the Vatican that there were monies missing. He mentioned that money that was dedicated for the poor. When he asked me about it, I said that money was given for the purpose to be given to the poor and I gave it to the poor. He then gathered paperwork from the Church files without my consent, and sent them to Rome. The Vatican did an investigation about me without even notifying me.”

As Shaleta insisted that he had managed finances transparently, he did not address directly reports that he had directed a parish tenant and others to make cash payments to the parish, taken the cash, and then “reimbursed” the parish with checks from its charity account, signed by him.

But The Pillar reported last month, after examining supporting documentation, that the bishop had seemingly directed that hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent due from a diocesan property be paid to him personally, in cash, and was never deposited, with the bishop instead transferring money to cover the missing rent from an eparchial fund for the poor.

Shaleta’s Feb. 22 remarks insisted that the charges were part of a plot against him.

“But some people were not happy and had other agendas. They think they can control even the Church of Christ,” the bishop said.

Elaborating, the bishop explained his view that “there is a mean and vicious media campaign funded by very rich people against the Chaldean Church and its clergy. Therefore, I ask all of you who actually attended this Holy Mass and witnessed the service that we are all offering to the Lord, I ask that during this holy Lenten season, to pray for those people, and enlighten their souls and minds, so that negative, evil people will not control the Church, and so that those people will not spread scandals among the simple and good Christian faithful, fabricating even other lies to prove their points.”

The bishop asked for prayers, and for the support of his people.

"I am not a rich person with big social influence, and I don’t have a rich family to fight those people. All I have are the Church people, yourselves, that I have sincerely served faithfully for 42 years as a priest and as a bishop. You are the only one who can believe me and defend my integrity and transparency in the Church financial matters and in life.”

In addition to financial misconduct, Shaleta is accused of personal misconduct.

A private investigator’s report sent to the Vatican last year recounted allegations that the bishop had regularly visited Hong Kong Gentlemen’s Club in Tijuana, flagged by human rights journalists as “a brothel where trafficked women and girls are forced to work in the sex trade.”

That retired FBI special agent Wade Dudley told The Pillar that the bishop’s car had been observed “in a parking lot exclusively for patrons of Hong Kong, and we have seen him walking to the border and across the border, and we have seen him get picked up by a third-party ride share that exclusively takes customers to that establishment.”

The report also documented an unusual and longstanding situation in the bishop’s personal life.

Shaleta has held for years a joint personal bank account with a woman who was the parish secretary when Shaleta was a pastor in Michigan.

In 2025 the bank account’s balance was in excess of $40,000, and appeared to receive regular deposits from Shaleta.

When Shaleta became in 2015 the eparch for Chaldean Catholics in Canada, the woman “started making frequent visits to Toronto, staying either at a nearby hotel or at his house,” the private detective noted.

In 2017, Shaleta was appointed to lead the Chaldean Eparchy of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego.

The bishop relocated to San Diego in August 2017, and the woman “immediately moved to San Diego,” the detective’s report said.

Dudley documented that “Shaleta has unfettered access to the [woman’s] home” — entering regularly by using the garage door code, and visiting during the day several times each week.

In turn, the woman “has keys to [his] home… and has been observed using her keys to open the door.”

She had, the detective reported, “visited [Shaleta’s] home for a prolonged period of time on multiple occasions.”

The Pillar reported this week that soon after the bishop submitted a letter of resignation from his diocesan post in late January, Cardinal Sako consulted with Chaldean bishops about his hope to see the bishop transferred to an administrative post in Baghdad, as a high-ranking official of the Chaldean patriarchate.

Sako had previously acknowledged to The Pillar that he raised the prospect of a transfer to Vatican officials, but suggested the idea was floated only before the Vatican-ordered investigation into Shaleta was “clear.” Sources have told The Pillar that the dicastery received a report on the case in late 2025, well before Sako polled Chaldean bishops about a transfer this year.

Message of Solidarity and Support from the Bishops of the Chaldean Synod

By Chaldean Patriarchate

The bishops of the Chaldean Synod have issued a message of solidarity and support following the criticisms and transgressions directed at our Chaldean Church and our nation.
In their message, they expressed full support for the positions of His Beatitude, our Patriarch, Mar Louis Raphael Sako, regarding Chaldean identity and his courageous defense of Christians. They also affirmed their support for the dioceses facing certain difficulties and their readiness to assist.

The Patriarchate Media publishes below the text of the message:

Message of Solidarity and Support from the Bishops of the Chaldean Synod

The criticisms and transgressions directed against our Chaldean Church and our nation followed His Beatitude Patriarch Sako’s reaffirmation of our Chaldean ecclesial and national identity, as well as his explanations and clarifications regarding the Book of Jonah. They also come amid the controversy surrounding the Diocese of St. Peter in San Diego, United States, before the truth has been revealed and justice achieved.

We, the bishops of the Chaldean Synod, declare our full support for the positions of His Beatitude our Patriarch Mar Louis Raphael Sako regarding Chaldean identity and his courageous defense of Christians. We likewise affirm our support for the dioceses that are facing difficulties and express our readiness to assist them.

We call upon everyone to join us in prayer during this Lenten season for peace in our beloved Iraq and throughout the world, and for our Chaldean Church. We also urge all to calm tensions and refrain from spreading false information on social media. We are brothers, united by faith, homeland, and a shared destiny. We must cooperate and respect our identities, deeply rooted in history.

A blessed Lent and a glorious Resurrection to all.

+Bishop Felix Saeed Shabi,

Secretary-General of the Chaldean Synod

.........................................................................................................................................

For the case of the Diocese of San Diego read: 
Chaldeans confirm investigation into missing money, bishop denies wrongdoing

Iraq: card. Sako (patriarca caldeo), “In Iraq rimasti solo 400-500mila cristiani”

By AgenSIR - Charity Radio TV

27 febbraio 2026

“Da circa 750mila caldei che erano solo a Baghdad, oggi il loro numero è stimato tra i 400 e i 500mila in tutto il paese, in assenza di statistiche accurate. L’instabilità politica e sociale costante, le conseguenze delle guerre successive al 2003, la violenza settaria dilagante hanno provocato emigrazione e sistematica marginalizzazione della comunità caldea e delle altre chiese presenti in Iraq”.
È il grido di allarme del patriarca caldeo di Baghdad, card. Louis Raphael Sako, lanciato nel corso di una intervista ad un canale iracheno.
“I cristiani – ha spiegato il cardinale – sono più colpiti dalle crisi, da un lato, a causa della natura della loro educazione pacifica e, dall’altro, a causa dell’assenza di un’autorità statale forte e capace di controllare esercito e milizie garantendo ordine e rispetto dei diritti”.
Mar Sako, inoltre, ha osservato che “le divisioni interne e i conflitti regionali, in particolare la guerra a Gaza e le tensioni tra Stati Uniti e Iran, aumentano le paure dei fedeli cristiani”.
Da qui la richiesta del patriarca caldeo di “sostegno morale e diplomatico da parte del Vaticano e delle Chiese occidentali, sottolineando che i cristiani d’Oriente non sono minoranze ma abitanti originari di queste terre e invocando il passaggio dalla logica delle sette religiose ad uno che garantisca lo stato di cittadinanza. Ha inoltre esortato i cristiani orientali a unirsi rifuggendo dalle divisioni settarie e linguistiche”.
 Mar Sako ha concluso la sua intervista sottolineando l’importanza della preghiera come “strumento unificante per i cristiani che cambia i cuori e dà speranza, alla luce delle sfide che minacciano la presenza cristiana nella regione”.

الكاردينال ساكو لـ "صوت المحبّة": وجودنا المسيحي في العراق مهدَّد

Chaldeans confirm investigation into missing money, bishop denies wrongdoing

By The Pillar

February 24, 2026

 

A Chaldean Catholic bishop under investigation for embezzlement urged Catholics Sunday to “defend my integrity and transparency,” as he attempted to explain charges that he misappropriated more than $400,000 in Church funds. The bishop claimed he was the victim of a “vicious” and well-funded “media campaign.”
On Saturday, Chaldean patriarch Cardinal Louis Sako confirmed to The Pillar that while he had suggested the possibility of transferring the bishop to another assignment, it was because “the situation was not clear at the time.”

But Catholics in the eparchy have told The Pillar they have grown frustrated with waiting for a decision on the future of the diocese, several months after the conclusion of a Vatican-ordered investigation.

The Pillar reported Thursday that Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, leader of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle, based in California, had submitted his resignation from office after a Vatican-ordered investigation into charges that the bishop had taken hundreds in thousands of cash from his cathedral, attempting to reimburse missing funds with checks signed by him from a cathedral charity account.

But in his San Diego cathedral on Sunday, Shaleta insisted that he had not taken money, and that he was the victim of a media campaign and of Chaldeans in his diocese who opposed his leadership.

“Many of you have heard the news on social media, about Shaleta — myself — and about how I handled the Church money. I have never in my priestly life or episcopal life abused any of the Church money. On the contrary, I have done my best to preserve and manage the donations of the Church properly,” the bishop said Feb. 22, as his cathedral’s Sunday liturgy concluded.

“One donor from the community gave me money to give to the poor and to the needy. He told me, ‘I trust you, [Bishop], and I will not ask for any receipts —- give this money to the poor that you know.’”

While the bishop insisted that he did give money to the poor, he told his congregation Sunday that “a financial committee member of our Church reported to the Vatican that there were monies missing. He mentioned that money that was dedicated for the poor. When he asked me about it, I said that money was given for the purpose to be given to the poor and I gave it to the poor. He then gathered paperwork from the Church files without my consent, and sent them to Rome. The Vatican did an investigation about me without even notifying me.”

The Pillar reported, after examining supporting documentation, that the bishop is accused of directing that hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent due from a diocesan property be paid to him personally, in cash, and was never deposited, with the bishop instead transferring money to cover the missing rent from an eparchial fund for the poor.

But the Vatican’s investigation, the bishop said, prompted him to write “a letter to the Vatican saying: ‘If you doubt me, and you don’t even trust me, I will resign from my work.’”

Shaleta did not indicate when that letter of resignation was sent. Instead, he said Sunday that he has a good track record of financial administration, and that he had worked in the St. Peter eparchy to pay off debt and increase revenue.

“But some people were not happy and had other agendas. They think they can control even the Church of Christ,” the bishop explained.

Elaborating, the bishop explained his view that “there is a mean and vicious media campaign funded by very rich people against the Chaldean Church and its clergy. Therefore, I ask all of you who actually attended this Holy Mass and witnessed the service that we are all offering to the Lord, I ask that during this holy Lenten season, to pray for those people, and enlighten their souls and minds, so that negative, evil people will not control the Church, and so that those people will not spread scandals among the simple and good Christian faithful, fabricating even other lies to prove their points.”

The bishop asked for prayers, and for the support of his people.

“I am not a rich person with big social influence, and I don’t have a rich family to fight those people. All I have are the Church people, yourselves, that I have sincerely served faithfully for 42 years as a priest and as a bishop. You are the only one who can believe me and defend my integrity and transparency in the Church financial matters and in life."

While Shaleta insisted that he had managed finances transparently, he did not address directly reports that he had directed a parish tenant and others to make cash payments to the parish, taken the cash, and then “reimbursed” the parish with checks from its charity account, signed by him.

But those reports — and banking records reviewed by The Pillar — indicate that at least $427,345 in cash was appropriated by Shaleta in 2024 — with corresponding “reimbursement checks” drawn from the parish charity account and all signed by the bishop.

In documents reviewed by The Pillar, Shaleta claimed the cash he took had been distributed for charity in both the U.S. and several other countries, but the bishop did not have substantiating paperwork confirming distributions, nor did he explain why he accepted rent and other payments in cash for charitable purposes, rather than withdraw funds directly from the charity account.

Nor did Shaleta’s remarks address directly a private investigator’s report, which recounted allegations that the bishop had regularly visited Hong Kong Gentlemen’s Club in Tijuana, flagged by human rights journalists as “a brothel where trafficked women and girls are forced to work in the sex trade.”

That retired FBI special agent Wade Dudley told The Pillar that the bishop’s car had been observed “in a parking lot exclusively for patrons of Hong Kong, and we have seen him walking to the border and across the border, and we have seen him get picked up by a third-party ride share that exclusively takes customers to that establishment.”

Nor did the bishop’s Sunday remarks address other accounts of misconduct on Shaleta’s part, including an unusual and longstanding situation in the bishop’s personal life.

Shaleta has held for years a joint personal bank account with a woman who was the parish secretary when Shaleta was a pastor in Michigan.

In 2025 the bank account’s balance was in excess of $40,000, and appeared to receive regular deposits from Shaleta.

When Shaleta became in 2015 the eparchy for Chaldean Catholics in Canada, the woman “started making frequent visits to Toronto, staying either at a nearby hotel or at his house,” the private detective noted.

In 2017, Shaleta was appointed to lead the Chaldean Eparchy of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego.

The bishop relocated to San Diego in August 2017, and the woman “immediately moved to San Diego,” the detective’s report said.

Dudley documented that “Shaleta has unfettered access to the [woman’s] home” — entering regularly by using the garage door code, and visiting during the day several times each week.

In turn, the woman “has keys to [his] home… and has been observed using her keys to open the door.”

She had, the detective reported, “visited [Shaleta’s] home for a prolonged period of time on multiple occasions."

While Shaleta made his remarks in San Diego, the Chaldean Patriarchate in Baghdad released a statement on the subject this weekend.

“Some members of the diocese have submitted complaints regarding the integrity of His Excellency Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta concerning the handling of certain diocesan funds, as well as allegations of personal relationships,” the statement said, but alleged that “social media outlets published the news without verifying the accuracy of the information.”

“There are also positive testimonies from clergy and committed lay faithful who serve the diocese.These matters require evidence, documentation, and time. The Holy See, with the knowledge of the Patriarchate, has initiated thorough investigations to reveal the truth and to take a just and impartial decision so that no one may be wronged.”

In emailed comments to The Pillar, Cardinal Sako pushed back on claims that he had solicited bishops and other Chaldean Catholics to send letters of support for Shaleta to the Vatican, which was reported by The Pillar last week — with several sources saying bishops had been urged to write supportive letters on Shaleta’s behalf.

“I never asked the bishops to support Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta, but if some have written then they did so entirely on their own initiative,” Sako told The Pillar.

The patriarch did confirm The Pillar’s report that he had suggested the possibility of transferring Shaleta to a patriarchate post in Iraq.

Sako said he made that suggestion amid a recent conversation about the prospect of the bishop’s resignation. And, he said, when he proposed a possible transfer, “the situation was not clear at the time.”

In that context, he said, “I had suggested that we wait until the outcome was clear and that perhaps a transfer might be a better solution.”

But getting clarity on the facts, the cardinal said, is important.

“I am committed to following the truth and upholding once all matters are fully clarified,” he told The Pillar. “I will follow the decisions and assessments of the Holy See.”

While Sako said he was waiting for clarity, sources close to the investigation say it should be readily available — the Vatican-ordered investigation reportedly concluded in October, with sources telling The Pillar that the Dicastery for Consecrated Life received a report on the case months ago.

Senior Chaldean sources have told The Pillar that Sako has dragged his feet on nominating an apostolic administrator for the eparcy, and that that Sako has continued to express hope in recent months that Shaleta might be allowed to take up a position in the patriarchate’s administration.

In his email to The Pillar Sako also added that in Iraq, misinformation campaigns on social media have “caused much confusion and even scandals … which have affected our Church in Baghdad a great deal.”

It is not clear whether the bishop was suggesting that such campaigns have impacted his assessment of reports about Shaleta, but he added that “some misinformation has been exploited by certain militias and political groups that are hostile towards the Church and the message of the Gospel.”

“In the meantime, we await the outcome of this case with patience, prudence, and prayer, especially during this season of Lent,” Sako added.

The cardinal declined a telephonic interview with The Pillar, indicating that he is at the moment “very busy.”

He also explained that he had asked Shaleta not to give any interviews “until the truth is fully clarified.”

While The Pillar requested permission for an interview with Shaleta, Sako said the bishop is “very tired,” but added that an interview might be possible “later.”

Historic murals in Iraq emerge from the ruins of ISIS destruction

By EWTN

Georgena Habbaba

February 15, 2026 

Photo from Nenous Thabet Sculptor FB page 

Restoration work is progressing rapidly on two 13th-century historic mural reliefs at the ancient Mar Behnam and Sarah Monastery in Iraq. The effort is being led by the monastery’s administration in collaboration with the French organization Mesopotamia after the artworks suffered extensive destruction at the hands of ISIS.

The monastery was featured in an EWTN News special on Iraq marking 10 years since the rise of ISIS and examining Christianity in Iraq a decade after the extremist group’s occupation. The report highlighted both the destruction inflicted on Christian heritage and the steady efforts toward restoration, with Mar Behnam Monastery standing as a visible sign of endurance and renewal.

The murals, depicting the “Martyrdom of Mar Behnam” and “Saint Sarah,” face one another inside the monastery church and are considered unique in both scale and artistic detail.

No other monastery today contains comparable works in terms of size, age, and creative intricacy. They have long been objects of popular devotion in addition to their historical value, as Chorbishop Mazen Mattoka, the monastery’s superior, explained to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News.

ISIS militants devastated the two plaster murals in an attempt to erase Christian heritage and obliterate artworks that had withstood centuries of challenges. Despite the severity of the damage and the high cost of restoration, multiple coordinated efforts, which Mattoka describes as guided by divine providence, have worked to lift the dust and darkness of ISIS from the sacred images.

Mattoka believes providence led French journalist Pascal Makosian to visit the monastery and recognize the profound pain caused by the vandalism.

Through his organization, Mesopotamia, Makosian undertook the restoration project under the sponsorship of the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul, in consultation with the Nineveh Antiquities Inspectorate and with the work of local artists.

The murals are distinguished by rich symbolic colors: royal blue framing the inscriptions as a symbol of heaven; red signifying martyrdom; and green representing continuity and eternal life. Their uniqueness is further deepened by encoded theological meaning. At the center, Mar Behnam is depicted mounted on his horse; below him appears a scene symbolizing the defeat of evil; and above, two angels carry the martyred saint into the kingdom, representing resurrection.

The mural of St. Sarah measures approximately 2 meters (6.6 feet) in height and nearly 1 meter (3.3 feet) in width, appearing modest beside the larger Mar Behnam mural, which extends nearly 4 meters (13.1 feet) in length and 2 meters (6.6 feet) in width. Both are framed by inscriptions in Arabic and Syriac, according to Mattoka.

Extensive damage

The two plaster murals suffered destruction estimated at nearly 80%, according to sculptor Thabet Michael, head of the restoration team. He explained that ISIS left little more than the outer frame intact, from which the restoration process began.

Michael had participated in the previous restoration of the murals in 2011, gaining experience that proved essential in confronting current challenges — particularly the complete disfigurement of sculptural features and the erasure of facial details.

He praised the French team’s study of the murals and their history, as well as the preparation of a comprehensive photographic archive. By consulting the oldest available images — including photographs taken by foreign travelers in 1904, despite their lack of color and facial detail — restorers were able to approximate the original appearance as closely as possible.

Approaching the original

Photo from Nenous Thabet Sculptor FB page

The restoration was carried out using the same original raw materials — gypsum mixed with lime — with additional elements to enhance cohesion and durability. The murals’ original colors, which had faded over centuries, were restored using comparable pigments. Surviving fragments of colored sections were analyzed to achieve shades closest to the original work, created by Syriac artists of Tikriti origin known for their mastery of sculpture, calligraphy, and ornamental design.

Michael emphasized the necessity of returning to historical sources and studying them carefully in order to reach satisfactory results in restoring any historic artwork. He added that the completed work reflects the Atabeg artistic style prevalent at the time of the murals’ creation, blended with local Iraqi elements and inspired by Assyrian civilization.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News.

Ancient Church of the East inaugurates new patriarchate in Baghdad

By Syriac Press

Febraury 14, 2026

Photo by Ecumenical News FB page

The Ancient Church of the East formally inaugurated its new patriarchal headquarters in Iraq’s capital on Saturday, 14 February 2026, in a ceremony that blended ecclesiastical tradition with state participation and underscored the enduring presence of one of the country’s most historical Christian communities.

The inauguration was led by Patriarch Mar Gewargis III Younan and attended by Member of Parliament Evan Jabro and Dr. Rami Joseph Aghajan, president of the Diwan of Christian, Yazidi and Mandaean Endowments.
The government office oversaw the construction and full furnishing of the new headquarters, officials said, as part of its mandate to support Iraq’s recognized religious communities.

The event drew senior clergy from various Christian denominations, priests, and representatives of Iraq’s presidency, parliament and cabinet, as well as diplomats and cultural figures. The gathering reflected both the ecclesiastical significance of the occasion and its broader national symbolism.

In remarks delivered during the ceremony, Dr. Aghajan said the Diwan’s support for the project stemmed from its national responsibility to care for all religious communities without discrimination. He described the new patriarchate as an expression of the state’s commitment to equality, justice and peaceful coexistence among Iraq’s diverse components.

Iraq: card. Sako (patriarca caldeo), “chiedere perdono è forza posseduta solo dai coraggiosi”

By AgenSIR - Patriarcato caldeo

 “Il digiuno non è semplicemente un’astinenza fisica dal cibo; è piuttosto uno spazio per entrare in dialogo con noi stessi, per una conversione concreta, per cercare il perdono e la purificazione dell’anima”. Lo scrive il patriarca caldeo di Baghdad, card. Louis Raphaël Sako, nella sua lettera per la Quaresima, dove offre spunti “per la riflessione e la meditazione, l’esame di coscienza e il rinnovamento spirituale e umano”.

Il digiuno quaresimale, afferma, “è una Pasqua, un passaggio dal peccato alla grazia”, in preparazione alla Risurrezione, altrimenti “rimane una pratica vuota”. La Quaresima è “tempo per approfondire la nostra fede” che non può ridursi a slogan o alla sola preghiera in chiesa, ma deve essere “incarnata oltre le mura” con “azioni concrete, cuori aperti e menti impegnate”. È anche tempo di pentimento: “Chiedere perdono non è una debolezza, ma una forza posseduta solo dai coraggiosi”, sottolinea, invitando a riparare relazioni ferite e a vivere il Vangelo del perdono. 

Un passaggio è dedicato a quanti “pubblicano critiche infondate al clero diffuse sui social media”: l’invito è a “tornare in sé e cessare scritti distruttivi”, perché la Quaresima sia “tempo di risveglio al cambiamento positivo e di raggiungimento della pace interiore”.

Il patriarca richiama quindi la centralità della preghiera personale e comunitaria, “soprattutto attraverso la partecipazione alla messa”: la preghiera “ci trasforma interiormente” e rende capaci di trasformare “la sofferenza in speranza”. Contemplare Cristo e il suo Vangelo apre a “una profonda trasformazione spirituale, umana e morale”. Infine, l’appello alla carità: “Digiuniamo per risparmiare denaro per beneficenza”, aiutando i poveri “direttamente o tramite la nostra parrocchia”.

In un contesto segnato da conflitti, l’invito è a pregare “con fiducia per la pace e per la fine di guerre distruttive”.

Together Toward Repentance and Conversion in the Great Lent Pastoral Letter for the Occasion of the Great Lent February 16 – April 5, 20

By Chaldean Patriarchate

February 13, 2026

Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako

In this short pastoral letter, I want to offer our faithful some essential themes for the Lent, for reflection and meditation, for self-examination, and for spiritual and human renewal. Fasting is not merely a physical abstention from food; rather, it is a space to enter into dialogue with ourselves, to embrace concrete conversion, to seek forgiveness and purification of the soul, so that we may be, as much as possible, “blameless before the Lord our God” (Deuteronomy 18:13).Lent’ fastening is a Passover from sin to grace, in preparation to celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ with enthusiasm, and joy. Otherwise, it remains an empty practice.

• Lent is a time to deepen faith, to strengthen the meaning of our existence, and to share life with God: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). Faith is not a matter of slogans, nor is it confined to praying in church; it must be embodied beyond the church walls and expressed through concrete actions, open hearts, and engaged minds, so that we may offer a wonderful witness of our faith.

• Lent is a space for repentance-renrwal, which Isaac of Nineveh (7th century) describes as a second birth: “Repentance is a second birth from God; what we received in baptism was its pledge. Through repentance we receive His gift. Repentance is the open door of mercy for all who desire it, and through it they find divine mercy” (The Ascetical Homilies, p. 250). Lent is a time to examine ourselves before God, to cleanse what defiles us, to repair what has been damaged in our relationships, and to seek healing by asking forgiveness from God for our sins, from those whom we have offended, and by forgiving those who have offended us—putting into practice the prayer we repeat daily: “Forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Matthew 6:12). Asking for pardon is not weakness, but a strength possessed only by the courageous.

On this occasion, I call upon all those who publish unfounded criticisms about the clergy (servants of the Church)—whether out of ignorance (such as regarding the story of the Book of Jonah and the Chaldean identity), or out of resentment because their views are not adopted, or to get money from parties hostile to the Church, I call them to return to their conscience and cease their destructive writings spread through Social Medias. This is a moment of awareness for positive change and for attaining inner peace and overwhelming joy. Unfortunately, criticism has become a phenomenon (a trend) with no relation to conscious, constructive critique aimed at reform. Jesus says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

• Lent is a time for personal and communal prayer, in and with the Church, especially through participation in the Holy Mass. Prayer transforms us from within and enlightens us to act rightly. This transformation occurs when we attend to the words and embody them, so that events and realities become signs of a deeper life and a lofty mystical relationship. Prayer grants us strength to remain committed to our faith amid life’s many challenges and enables us to transform pain into hope: “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

• Lent is a time to contemplate the steps of Christ’s life, listening attentively to His words in the Gospel, to discover their meaning and their connection to our lives. With wonder, we receive from Him what we lack and integrate it into ourselves, so that we may be transformed into the image and likeness of Christ. These stages open before us new horizons for profound spiritual, human, and moral transformation. This imitation of Christ has led many Christians to give their lives for Him in martyrdom. Jesus says clearly to Nicodemus—and to us—“No one can enter unless he is born from above-God’’ (John 3:3–5). This is His teaching. “Let your light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16).

• Lent is a space for serving the poor more effectively. We fast in order to save money for charity, to assist our needy brothers and sisters directly or through our parish Church—not to spend it on ourselves at Easter. Jesus says: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

• In light of the unprecedented regional and global circumstances, let us pray with confidence for peace and for an end to destructive conflicts and wars. Let us ask this of the Lord who promised us: “Whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you” (John 16:23).

I pray the Lord to bless us all, so that this distinctive liturgical season may become an excellent beginning—a fresh start—and a radiant space for spiritual and human growth.

Card. Sako: a Baghdad (e Teheran) instabilità interna e venti di guerra ‘fanno paura

By Asia News

Dario Salvi

29 gennaio 2026

“Tristezza, grande preoccupazione e un clima di paura” che spinge molte personalità istituzionali e religiose a tacere, rimanere relegate ai margini mentre il Paese rischia di sprofondare nuovamente in una spirale di tensione e di violenze. Anche, e soprattutto, per i nuovi venti di guerra “che spirano in Medio oriente”, oltre a una “instabilità interna” che già in passato si è rivelata uno dei fattori decisivi nel far sprofondare l’Iraq nel caos.
Sono alcune riflessioni affidate ad AsiaNews dal patriarca di Baghdad dei caldei, il card. Louis Raphael Sako, commentando le vicende di queste settimane nel Paese arabo e, più in generale, nella regione teatro di una nuova escalation fra Iran e
Stati Uniti (e Israele).
“In questi giorni - confida il porporato raggiunto al telefono a conclusione di una tre giorni di ritiro e preghiera - diversi politici mi hanno chiesto di intervenire, far sentire la voce di una autorità religiosa” in un contesto diffuso di omertà, di timori e di silenzi che risuonano più forti delle parole.

Paure e ansie generate dall’instabilità interna, con l’attesa dell’elezione - più volte rimandata - del nuovo presidente della Repubblica, il quale dovrà poi affidare il mandato al primo ministro designato di formare il nuovo governo. La componente di maggioranza del Parlamento uscito dalle elezioni generali del novembre scorso sembra essere orientata sulla figura di Nouri al-Maliki, già premier fra il 2006 e il 2014 poi dimessosi in una fase di profonde criticità per il Paese. Una scelta che ha già registrato la bocciatura del presidente Usa Donald Trump il quale lo ritiene responsabile della grave crisi economica e sociale [compresa l’ascesa dello Stato islamico] vissuta dal Paese nel passato, oltre che essere una figura troppo vicina all’Iran.

A conferma di un quadro di tensioni e incertezze, in queste ore vi è anche una falsa lettera che sta circolando sui media e a (presunta) firma del ministro saudita degli Esteri che chiederebbe “un passo indietro” ad al-Maliki per il bene dell’Iraq e della regione. Riyadh non ha sinora commentato le vicende irachene e aspetta notizie ufficiali sulla nuova leadership, ma l’ampio risalto di questo testo fasullo conferma una volta di più il clima di confusione, oltre al tentativo di destabilizzare ancor più la regione.

Di contro, dietro il silenzio dei leader religiosi iracheni, soprattutto sul versante sciita, vi è il timore di ripercussioni - o di ritorsioni - dal fronte iraniano, conseguenza di un legame a doppio filo fra Baghdad e Teheran che va oltre la fede, abbracciando la politica e interessi strategici.
“Non solo in Iraq, ma in tutta l’area, dalla Siria al Libano - afferma il card. Sako - la gente è molto preoccupata. Lo stesso vale per i cristiani, che hanno già pagato un prezzo altissimo in termini di esodo, e che non possono certo vivere senza sicurezza e stabilità. Hanno paura per i loro figli e per il loro futuro. Non ultimo, vi è anche - osserva - un problema collegato ad una economia dipendente al 90% dai proventi del petrolio, che si somma agli altri fattori di criticità” fra i quali vi è anche il ritorno del pericolo rappresentato dall’Isis e da altri gruppi jihadisti. Lo stesso patriarca caldeo si unisce al coro di critiche e perplessità per la decisione presa dagli Stati Uniti di inviare detenuti dello Stato islamico dalla Siria - per ora poco più di un centinaio, ma sono migliaia in totale - al vicino Iraq.

Ad alimentare il quadro di indecisione anche i tempi dell’elezione del nuovo presidente della Repubblica iracheno, un ruolo in larga parte cerimoniale ma essenziale per sbloccare altre nomine chiave per la vita istituzionale del Paese, a partire dal governo. “Non si sa nulla - ammette il card. Sako - sui tempi, si parla del fine settimana ma non è sicuro”. Fragilità e timori che si riflettono, prosegue il porporato, anche nella “debolezza delle istituzioni internazionali, a partire dalle Nazioni Unite, che non sono più in grado di garantire un ordine globale. L’unico super-potere sembra essere oggi quello degli Stati Uniti, che fanno quello che vogliono” soprattutto col ritorno alla Casa Bianca di Trump. Al contempo preoccupano l’isolamento e il silenzio nella Repubblica islamica. “Non ho avuto la possibilità di parlare con il vescovo e i fedeli in Iran - afferma il card. Sako, parlando della comunità cattolica caldea oltre-confine - perché è tutto chiuso. Internet non funziona e non è possibile comunicare”.

A fronte di cambiamenti e trasformazioni globali, osserva il patriarca caldeo, la società orientale manca di una “profonda consapevolezza degli sviluppi geopolitici in corso, di un’analisi accurata di ciò che sta accadendo e di un atteggiamento razionale e responsabile”. “Sono veramente molto preoccupato” ammette, perché “non si sa come andranno le cose. Oggi siamo qui, domani impossibile prevederlo: ci sono minacce degli Stati Uniti di un attacco all’Iran, che avrebbe un notevole impatto sull’Iraq, ma anche in Libano, in Siria, in tutta la regione”. Ecco perché, avendo da poco concluso un ritiro di tre giorni, il porporato invita ad affidarsi alla preghiera “che è servita per confortare, dare un po’ di speranza” al martoriato Iraq “che sembra non avere mai pace”. “La preghiera - conclude - ci illumina e ci indica come agire e vedere ciò che gli altri non vedono”.

Iraq: card. Sako (patriarca caldeo), “scenari Medio Oriente inquietanti e impressionanti”

By AgenSIR - Patriarcato caldeo

29 gennaio 2026

Si sono chiusi ieri i tre giorni di digiuno (26, 27 e 28 gennaio), indetti dal Patriarcato caldeo di Baghdad, per pregare per la pace e per l’Iraq.
I cristiani iracheni danno, anche così, il loro contributo alla crescita del loro paese, come spiega il patriarca caldeo, card. Louis Raphael Sako, in un messaggio diffuso ieri sera e pervenuto al Sir, in cui esprime la sua preoccupazione in merito alle riforme dell’Iraq anche alla luce delle complessità interne, degli intrecci regionali e internazionali e degli “interventi esterni” in corso nel Paese. 

Il messaggio invita la politica irachena ad affrontare “le questioni calde con saggezza, volontà e diplomazia intelligente, e non con emotività”. 

Davanti al sistema unipolare attuale, guidato dagli Usa, spiega Mar Sako, “in cui il presidente Trump prende decisioni e si muove per riorganizzare il nuovo Medio Oriente, e forse il nuovo mondo, attraverso la diplomazia o la forza militare, non possiamo non rammaricarci del fatto che la nostra società orientale manchi di una profonda consapevolezza degli attuali sviluppi geopolitici, di un’analisi attenta di ciò che sta accadendo e di un atteggiamento razionale e responsabile”.
Per il patriarca caldeo, “gli scenari sono inquietanti e impressionanti. Le parole del presidente degli Stati Uniti dovrebbero essere prese sul serio e il dialogo con lui dovrebbe iniziare con razionalità da parte della maggior parte dei paesi, compresa l’Unione Europea”.
Parlando della situazione interna dell’Iraq, il cad. Sako denuncia: “Stiamo vedendo una feroce battaglia per il potere per il denaro e non per il paese e il cittadino è esausto. L’Iraq deve inaugurare una nuova fase di trasformazione, con un governo forte, competente e noto per il suo patriottismo e integrità, per affrontare le sfide e fornire servizi, e per lavorare per una stabilità duratura. L’Iraq possiede capacità amministrative, culturali e nazionali che non sono inferiori ad altre”.
Il cardinale esprime preoccupazione per l’instabilità regionale dovuta anche all’Iran che sostiene gruppi e fazioni all’interno dell’Iraq e che potrebbe, a causa della “proliferazione di armi”, “scatenare un caos nella sicurezza e provocare guerre interne se questi gruppi perdessero la loro fonte di finanziamento e la loro guida esterna”.
Timori anche per la fragile economia irachena che dipende, ricorda il patriarca, “per oltre il 90% dai ricavi petroliferi, e che potrebbe affrontare ulteriori shock, man mano che la valuta irachena si svaluta e i prezzi aumentano”. “L’unità del Paese – avverte Mar Sako – potrebbe essere ulteriormente minacciata dalla debolezza delle istituzioni governative e dalla diffusione della corruzione. Le infrastrutture fatiscenti e il debito estero limiteranno la capacità del governo di rispondere rapidamente. Il ritorno di organizzazioni estremiste e l’escalation delle divisioni settarie potrebbero fare il resto”. “È urgente – conclude Mar Sako – che i saggi e le autorità religiose, in particolare quella sciita di Najaf, che è stata una valvola di sicurezza in molte crisi, guidino chi detiene il potere per evitare ulteriori sofferenze all’Iraq”.