Chaldean Catholic Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chaldean Catholic Church |
|
|---|---|
Interior of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows in Baghdad, Iraq
|
|
| Type | Particular church (sui iuris) |
| Classification | Christian |
| Orientation |
|
| Scripture | Peshitta |
| Theology | Catholic theology |
| Governance | Holy Synod of the Chaldean Church |
| Pope | Francis |
| Patriarch | Vacancy |
| Region | Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon; diaspora in North America, Europe, and Australia |
| Headquarters | Cathedral of Mary Mother of Sorrows, Baghdad, Iraq |
| Founder | Traditionally traced to Thomas the Apostle via Addai and Mari; established in 1552 under Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa |
| Origin | 1552 Ottoman Iraq |
| Separated from | Church of the East |
| Members | 616,639 (2018) |
| Other name(s) | Chaldean Patriarchate |
The Chaldean Catholic Church is a special part of the worldwide Catholic Church. It is an Eastern Catholic Church that uses its own ancient traditions and the Syriac language in its worship. This church is in full agreement with the Pope and the Holy See in Rome.
The leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church is called the patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans. The main church is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows in Baghdad, Iraq. In 2018, there were about 616,639 members around the world. Most members live in Iraq, but many also live in places like North America, Europe, and Australia.
The Chaldean Catholic Church started after a disagreement in 1552. A group from the Church of the East wanted to reunite with the Roman Catholic Church. They chose Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa as their leader. He went to Rome, and Pope Julius III recognized him as patriarch in 1553.
Contents
Understanding Chaldean Catholic Members
Most Christians in Iraq are Chaldean Catholics. Reports from 2018 and 2019 showed that about 67% to 80% of Iraqi Christians belong to this church.
Who are the Chaldean Catholic People?
Most people who are part of the Chaldean Catholic Church are Assyrians. Sometimes they are called Chaldo-Assyrians. These communities mostly live in northern Iraq. You can find them in towns like Alqosh, Ankawa, Araden, Tel Keppe, and Shaqlawa. Many also live in other countries around the world.
Understanding the Name "Chaldean"
The name "Chaldean" has a long history. For a long time, it referred to the Syriac language, which is a form of Aramaic. This language was often called "Chaldean" until the 1800s.
In 1445, the term "Chaldean" started to be used for Aramaic-speaking Christians who joined the Catholic Church. This was decided at the Council of Florence.
Many people in the Chaldean Catholic Church are also known as Assyrians. Important leaders like Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid (who led the church from 1989 to 2003) said that while his church was Chaldean, his ethnic background was Assyrian. He explained that "Chaldean" refers to the church, not a specific ethnic group.
Archbishop Toma Audo (1854-1918), another important leader, also believed that East Syrians were descendants of the ancient Assyrians. He noted that the word "Syrian" is a shorter version of "Assyrian."
A Look at Chaldean Catholic History
The Early Church of the East
The Chaldean Catholic Church has roots in the Church of the East. This church began in the Parthian Empire. Some believe Thomas the Apostle, Thaddeus of Edessa, and Bartholomew the Apostle were its founders.
Under the Sasanian Empire, the Church of the East grew. It developed its own identity using the Syriac language and script. In 410, the Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon recognized Isaac as the leader, or Catholicos, of the Church of the East.
Conflicts between the Sasanians and the Roman Empire caused the Church of the East to become more independent. In 424, they decided not to rely on any outside power for church matters.
A big change happened after the Council of Ephesus in 431. This council discussed beliefs about Jesus. The Church of the East later adopted teachings from Theodore of Mopsuestia.
The Church of the East grew a lot during the Middle Ages. It spread across Central Asia and even reached China. It also established the Saint Thomas Christians in India. However, its numbers began to decline around 1400. The conquests of Timur caused great suffering and destruction to many Christian communities.
The Split of 1552
The Church of the East had many disagreements over who should be its leader. In 1552, a major split occurred. Some bishops disagreed with the practice of leaders passing their position down to family members.
This group chose Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa as their new patriarch. To make his position stronger, Sulaqa traveled to Rome. There, he joined the Catholic Church on February 20, 1553. Pope Julius III then recognized him as patriarch on April 9.
Sulaqa returned home and settled in Amid. He appointed new bishops before he was killed by those who opposed him. This started a new line of patriarchs known as the "Shimun line." The original line of patriarchs was called the "Eliya line."
Leaders in Communion with Rome
Sulaqa's first successors stayed connected with the Catholic Church. But over time, this connection weakened. The last leader to get official papal recognition died in 1600. They also started using hereditary succession again, which was the reason for the original split.
In 1672, Shimun XIII Dinkha officially broke away from Rome. He adopted beliefs that were different from the Catholic Church. His line of patriarchs eventually became the leaders of what is now the Assyrian Church of the East.
Then, leadership for those who wanted to be part of the Catholic Church passed to Archbishop Joseph I of Amid. In 1681, Rome recognized his leadership. His successors also took the name Joseph, and this became known as the "Josephite line."
Over time, the "Eliya line" also began to seek union with Rome. In 1830, after many years of discussion, Pope Pius VIII recognized Yohannan VIII Hormizd as the Patriarch. His line of leaders has continued in the Chaldean Catholic Church ever since.
Later Challenges and Growth
In 1838, the Kurds of Soran attacked the Rabban Hormizd Monastery and Alqosh. Over 300 Chaldean Catholics, including monks, lost their lives.
In 1846, the Ottoman Empire officially recognized Chaldean Catholics as a distinct group. This was a period of growth for the church.
The 19th century saw significant growth for the Chaldean Church. Its reach expanded, and its membership nearly doubled. By 1913, the church had around 100,000 members.
During World War I, the Turkish army and their allies caused great suffering in Chaldean areas. Many Chaldean dioceses were ruined, and leaders like Metropolitans Addai Scher and Philippe-Jacques Abraham were killed in 1915.
.jpg)
In the 21st century, Christians in Iraq continued to face challenges.
Chaldean Catholics Around the World Today
Many Chaldean Assyrians have moved to countries in the Western world. Large communities can be found in the United States, especially in Michigan, Illinois, and California. Canada also has growing communities, particularly in Ontario.
In 2006, a new eparchy (a type of diocese) was created for Chaldean Catholics in Australia and New Zealand. In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI also created a new eparchy in Toronto, Canada, for the 38,000 Chaldean Catholics living there.
Organization of the Chaldean Catholic Church
The Chaldean Catholic Church has many dioceses (areas led by a bishop) around the world. These include:
- Patriarchate of Baghdad
- Metropolitan Archdioceses in Baghdad, Kirkuk, Tehran, Urmia-Salmas
- Archdioceses in Ahwaz, Basra, Diyarbakir, Erbil, Mosul
- Eparchies in Aleppo, Alqosh, Beirut, Cairo, San Diego, Detroit, Toronto, Sydney, Amidyah-Zakho
- Territories dependent on the Patriarch: Jerusalem, Jordan
The official Latin name for the church is Ecclesia Chaldaeorum Catholica.
Church Leaders
The current Patriarch is Louis Raphaël I Sako, who was chosen in January 2013. In 2007, his predecessor, Emmanuel III Delly, became the first Chaldean Catholic patriarch to be made a Cardinal in the Catholic Church.
Many bishops lead the Chaldean Catholic Church today. Some of these leaders include:
- Louis Raphaël I Sako, Patriarch of Baghdad (since February 2013)
- Emil Shimoun Nona, Bishop of St. Thomas the Apostle Chaldean and Assyrian Catholic Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (since 2015)
- Bashar Warda, Archbishop of Erbil (since July 2010)
- Ramzi Garmo, Archbishop of Tehran (since 1999) and Archbishop of Amid (Diyarbakir) (since 2020)
- Thomas Meram, Archbishop of Urmia and Salmas (since 1984)
- Jibrail Kassab, Bishop Emeritus, former Bishop of Sydney (2006–2015)
- Habib Al-Naufali, Archbishop of Basra (since 2014)
- Yousif Mirkis, Archbishop of Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah (since 2014)
- Mikha Pola Maqdassi, Bishop of Alqosh (since December 2001)
- Saad Sirop, auxiliary Bishop (since 2014) and Apostolic Visitor of Chaldean Catholic in Europe (since 2017)
- Antony Audo, Bishop of Aleppo (since January 1992)
- Michael Kassarji, Bishop of Lebanon (since 2001)
- Francis Kalabat, Bishop of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Detroit (since June 2014)
- Mikhael Najib, Archbishop of Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul (since 2018)
- Saad Felix Shabi, Bishop of Zakho (since 2020)
- Robert Jarjis, Bishop of St. Addai Chaldean Eparchy of Canada (since 2021)
- Emanuel Hana Shaleta, Bishop of St. Peter the Apostle Chaldean Catholic (San Diego, USA, since 2016)
- Basel Yaldo, Curial Bishop and Titular Bishop of BethZabda (since 2015)
- Paulus Thabet Mako Auxiliary Bishop of Alqosh (since 2021)
- Azad Sabri Shaba Bishop of Dohuk and Amadiya (since 2022)
Daughters of Mary Immaculate
The Daughters of Mary Immaculate is a special group of Chaldean Catholic sisters. They were started in Baghdad on August 7, 1922. Father Anton Zebouni founded them to help the Chaldean community, especially after World War I.
The sisters' mission is to live a life of prayer and service. They help people and follow God's will. They first focused on helping homeless Chaldean youth. In 1927, they opened an orphanage in Baghdad, which later moved to Alqosh.
Today, nearly 100 sisters serve in many places. They are in Iraq, Lebanon, Rome, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and several cities in the United States. They run schools, orphanages, and retirement homes. Their work has a big impact on the communities they serve. In 2022, they celebrated 100 years of service.
Chaldean Catholic Worship
The Chaldean Catholic Church uses the East Syriac Rite for its worship services.
In 2007, the church made some small changes to its liturgy (the way services are performed). These changes helped to make worship more unified across different parishes. They also removed some parts that had been added over time from the Roman Rite.
Working with Other Churches
The Chaldean Catholic Church has been working to improve its relationship with the Assyrian Church of the East. In 1994, Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Dinkha IV signed an important agreement about their shared beliefs in Christ.
In 2001, the Holy See and the Assyrian Church of the East agreed on guidelines for sharing the Eucharist. This also confirmed that the Anaphora of Addai and Mari (a central prayer in their liturgy) is valid.
In 2015, Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphaël I Sako suggested uniting the two churches. However, the Assyrian Church of the East politely declined, saying there were still some differences in their church structures.
Recent Activities
In 2024, Patriarch Louis Raphaël Sako led the Christians in Iraq in a three-day fast. This fast was for peace in Iraq, Palestine, Ukraine, and other parts of the world.
Chaldean Catholics Today
Followers of the Chaldean Catholic Church are often called "Chaldean." However, like other Christians from Upper Mesopotamia, many also identify as ethnic Assyrians. They call themselves Suraye (Syriac: ܣܘܼܖ̈ܵܝܹܐ) in their language.
Chaldean Catholics come from ancient communities in northern Iraq, southeastern Turkey, northeastern Syria, and northwestern Iran. They often share family names, genetic profiles, and come from the same towns as their neighbors of other Christian groups. Their languages, like Chaldean Neo-Aramaic and Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, are also shared across different Christian denominations.
In 1908, before major conflicts and changes in the Middle East, most Chaldean Catholics lived in cities like Kirkuk, Erbil, and Mosul. The local people often used the name Atoraya-Kaldaya (Assyro-Chaldeans).
The Chaldean Catholic Church has sometimes emphasized a distinct Chaldean identity. In 2017, the Synod of Bishops stated that they officially reject labels that change their Chaldean identity, such as "Chaldean Syriac Assyrian." They encouraged their members to stick to their Chaldean identity while respecting other names like "Assyrians" and "Syriacs."
Many Chaldean Catholic Assyrians have moved to Western countries. They form large communities there. Reasons for this migration include challenges like difficult economic conditions and safety concerns after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Many have sought new homes in Europe and the United States.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia católica caldea para niños
- List of Chaldean Catholic patriarchs of Baghdad
- Eastern Catholic Churches
- Liturgies: East Syriac Rite, Liturgy of Addai and Mari
- Film about Chaldean Catholic Christians: The Last Assyrians
- Catholic University in Erbil
- Assyrian people
- List of ethnic Assyrians
- Terms for Syriac Christians
- Syro-Malabar Church
- Assyrian Church of the East
- Ancient Church of the East
- Syriac Christianity
