By Baghdadhope*
The ordination of the new Chaldean bishop of Mosul, Msgr. Emil Nona was a moment of hope, although troubled by tight security measures, for the Chaldean community in general the Christian community in Iraq.
Hope expressed to Baghdadhope by Msgr. Louis Sako, Chaldean Archbishop of Kirkuk, for many years himself a priest in Mosul, who described the new bishop as "a young but serious man, conscious of the plight by his diocese faces."
A situation that, continues Msgr Sako "poses many challenges ahead of him: the painful impact that the increasing political tension has on the Christian community, the phenomenon of the migration of the faithful, the lack of priests, the need to adapt the pastoral care to the situation the community is living, the relationships with other churches and of course with the Muslim community and also the desirable work of restoration and conservation of the places of worship some of which date back to the early centuries of Christianity."
"The path Msgr. Nona will have to walk down" concluded Msgr. Sako "is not an easy one but we wll be on his side and we will pray for him and for the Lord giving him the wisdom and the prudence necessary to accomplish hia mandate."
The ceremony, held in Alqosh, birthplace of the new bishop, saw a large influx of faithful and clerics: the patriarch of the Chaldean Church, Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, the three patriarchal vicars, Msgr. Shleimun Warduni, Msgr. Jacques Isaac and Msgr. Andreas Abouna, the bishops of Kirkuk, Msgr. Louis Sako; of Zakho, Msgr. Petrus Harbouli; of Amadiya and patriarchal administrator of Erbil Msgr. Rabban Al Qas; of Alqosh, Msgr. Mikha P . Maqdassi and the Emeritus Bishop of Kirkuk, Msgr. Andreas Sana.
To emphasize the ecumenical character of the celebration and the importance of the nomination for the seat of Mosul, vacant since the tragic death of Archbishop Faraj P. Rahho occurred as the result of his abduction in 2008, and in recent years resulted as the most dangerous bishopric seat given the numerous attacks on Christian community in the city were also present: the Latin bishop of Baghdad, Msgr. Jean B. Sleiman, the Apostolic Nuncio in Jordan and Iraq Msgr. Francis A. Chullikat, the Syriac Catholic bishop of Mosul, Msgr. George B. Casmoussa, Msgr. Gewargis Toma, bishop of Mosul of the Ancient Church of the East and Mor Gregorios Shaliba Shamoun, Syriac Orthodox bishop of Mosul.
To emphasize the ecumenical character of the celebration and the importance of the nomination for the seat of Mosul, vacant since the tragic death of Archbishop Faraj P. Rahho occurred as the result of his abduction in 2008, and in recent years resulted as the most dangerous bishopric seat given the numerous attacks on Christian community in the city were also present: the Latin bishop of Baghdad, Msgr. Jean B. Sleiman, the Apostolic Nuncio in Jordan and Iraq Msgr. Francis A. Chullikat, the Syriac Catholic bishop of Mosul, Msgr. George B. Casmoussa, Msgr. Gewargis Toma, bishop of Mosul of the Ancient Church of the East and Mor Gregorios Shaliba Shamoun, Syriac Orthodox bishop of Mosul.