Cardinal returns to Baghdad
Iraq PM meets Cardinal Sako in Baghdad after Patriarch’s return to capital
BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani welcomed Cardinal Louis Raphael I Sako in Baghdad on Thursday.
In an official statement, Al-Sudani expressed gratitude for Patriarch Sako’s surprise visit to the capital: “[Sudani] expressed his welcome for the Patriarch’s return to Baghdad and the importance of his presence and role, affirming the government’s commitment to reinforcing the principle of coexistence and fraternity among the various communities in Iraqi society.”
Al-Sudani also pledged to address issues concerning the Christian community and other minority groups within Iraq.
The Christian community in Iraq has dwindled significantly in recent years, largely due to ongoing conflict, persecution, and economic challenges. This trend has raised concerns about the future presence and influence of Christianity in a region where it has historical roots dating back nearly two thousand years. The community in Iraq, which numbered around 1.5 million before 2003, has significantly decreased to an estimated 250,000 by recent reports up to 2023.
In response, Patriarch Sako conveyed Eid Al-Fitr greetings to the prime minister and emphasized the government’s ongoing responsibility to improve living conditions and safeguard the rights of all Iraqis, including minorities, the statement continued.
Cardinal Sako arrived in Baghdad from Erbil late Wednesday, accompanied by retired Bishop Thomas Miram of the Diocese of Urmia, Iran. At the airport, they were received by a convoy that included a representative of the prime minister.
Subsequently, at the Chaldean Patriarchate, Sako and Miram received a warm welcome from the Chaldean Patriarchal Vicar Bishop Basilius Yaldo and the Auxiliary Bishop of the Patriarchate of Babylon Bishop Shlemon Warduni. Clergy members from Baghdad and Patriarchate staff were also present.
Sako’s departure from Baghdad in 2023 stemmed from a decree issued by President Abdul Latif Rashid revoking a 2013 decision by then-President Jalal Talabani, which formally recognized Sako as “Patriarch of the Chaldeans in Iraq and the world” and entrusted him with managing the church’s endowments.
The Federal Supreme Court of Iraq upheld Rashid’s decision in November 2023, citing ‘constitutional’ concerns. The Chaldean Patriarchate expressed bewilderment, asserting that the withdrawal lacked a legal basis.
The abrupt revocation puzzled many, especially given the historical tradition of granting such decrees to senior Christian clergy over the past 1,400 years. Observers also noted that the presidential decree potentially allowed the Babylon Movement, the political arm of a Christian militia, to gain more control over the community’s institutions in Iraq. It followed a public spat between the leader of the Babylon Movement, Rayan Al-Kildani, and Cardinal Sako, each of whom accusing the other of political ambitions.
Last year, Cardinal Sako listed conditions for any return to Baghdad, including President Rashid formally recognising him as leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church and holder of its property.
In a further display of protest, the Chaldean Patriarchate canceled Easter celebrations on March 25, standing in solidarity with Cardinal Sako.
Prime Minister Sudani’s readout of the visit today refers to Sako as “leader of the Chaldeans in Iraq and the world.”