Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate of Baghdad
Eastern Catholic patriarchate in Iraq
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The Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate of Baghdad, or simply the Chaldean Patriarchate (Latin: Patriarchatus Chaldæorum), is the official title held by the primate of the Chaldean Catholic Church. The Patriarchate is based in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows, Baghdad, Iraq. The patriarchal see is currently vacant. He is assisted by the archbishop of Erbil Shlemon Warduni and the Auxiliary Bishop of Baghdad, Basel Yaldo.[4][5][6]
Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa (as Chaldean Catholic Patriarch)
Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate of Baghdad Patriarchatus Chaldæorum | |
|---|---|
| Catholic | |
| Incumbent: Vacant since 10 March 2026 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Iraq |
| Headquarters | Baghdad, Iraq |
| Information | |
| First holder | Saint Thomas the Apostle (as Patriarch of the Church of the East by tradition), Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa (as Chaldean Catholic Patriarch) |
| Denomination | Chaldean Catholic Church |
| Rite | East Syriac Rite |
| Established | Apostolic Era[1] 280 as Diocese of Seleucia-Ctesifonte[2] 1553 as Eastern Catholic Patriarchate[3] |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows |
| Language | East-Syriac |
| Bishops emeritus | Louis Raphaël I Sako |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
Chaldean Catholics are the majority of Assyrians in Iraq, an indigenous people of Upper Mesopotamia.[7][8][9][10][11]
Etymology
In 1552, there was a schism within the Church of the East. This was caused by discontent among the bishops (metropolitans) over actions of the patriarch Shemʿon VII Ishoʿyahb in following the tradition of previous patriarch Shemʿon IV Basidi who made the patriarchal succession hereditary, normally from uncle to nephew. Joseph I (1681–1696), who served as the Metropolitan of Amid (modern-day Diyarbakır, Turkey) led an off-shoot of the Church of the East and joined the Catholic Church. His successor, Joseph II (1696–1713), was officially bestowed with the symbolic title Patriarch of Babylon. Although this patriarchate was established in the city of Diyarbakır, it was eventually moved to the city of Mosul and finally to Baghdad where it remains to this day. The title Patriarch of Babylon or Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans remained in popular usage until the name Babylon was officially abandoned in August, 2021.[12][13][14][15][16][17]