Iraq's Chaldeans get new patriarch

Publisher	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Publication Date	1 February 2013
Cite as	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Iraq's Chaldeans get new patriarch, 1 February 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/512235aac.html [accessed 22 May 2023]
Disclaimer	This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

February 01, 2013

Bishops from the Iraq-based Chaldean Catholic Church have chosen the archbishop of Kirkuk as their new patriarch.

Louis Sako was elected Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans at a synod held in Rome.

Under the name of Louis Raphael Sako I, he succeeds Emmanuel III Delly, who retired in December after reaching the age of 85.

After his election, the patriarch told the French AFP news agency: "I will do my best to stop the emigration of Christians from Iraq."

The Chaldean Church has 700,000 followers and uses the ancient Aramaic language.

Before the 2003 ethnic strife in Iraq, there were more than 1 million Christians living in Iraq.

Now, they number some 450,000.

Patriarch Sako was elected archbishop of Kirkuk in 2003.

Based on reporting by AFP and Vatican Radio