www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Bishops Elect Chaldean Catholics Leader

VATICAN CITY - A Baghdad-based bishop was elected patriarch of Babylon, spiritual leader of the world's estimated 1 million Chaldean Catholics, the Vatican said on Wednesday.

Bishop Emmanuel-Karim Delly, 76, was elected at a synod of 22 bishops called to Rome by Pope John Paul II to break a deadlock in the choice of a successor to Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid, who died in July after a long illness. He was 81.

The new patriarch took the name Karim III.

Iraqi Christians number about 800,000 � about 3 percent of the population � with the ancient Chaldean community the largest. Church groups say they number between 500,000 and 700,000, but the numbers have been steadily shrinking.

A total of 22 bishops took part in the voting, including prelates from the Chaldean Diaspora in the United States, Europe and Australia.

The Chaldean Church, like other Eastern Catholic churches, is loyal to the pope but does not follow the Roman church's Latin Rite.

May God grant many years to His Beatitude, Patriarch Karim!

His Excellency Mar Emmanuel-Karim Delly was ordained to the priesthood on 21 December 1952. He was appointed Auxiliary of the Archdiocese of Babilonia of the Chaldees (the Chaldean Patriarchal See) in 1962 and ordained to the episcopate in April 1963, as Titular Bishop of Palaeopolis in Asia. In 1967, he was nominated Titular Archbishop of Kaskar of the Chaldees. He retired as Auxiliary Bishop of Babilonia in October 2002, a few weeks after his 75th birthday.

As Catholicos and Patriarch of Babilonia and Ur of the Chaldees for the Chaldean Catholics, I believe His Holiness Karim III will be the 22nd to hold the See since the Chaldeans re-entered communion with Rome about 1550. He will be the 110th in succession from Saint Thomas the Apostle, traditionally revered by the Chaldeans and Assyrians as their Proto-Patriarch.

The Patriarch-Elect was born in Telkaef, a Chaldean-dominated town in northern Iraq, in October 1927. The significance of his birthplace lies in the fact that Telkaefi clergy are historically associated with the Papal faction within the Chaldean hierarchy. As was recently discussed on another thread here, the Papalists (as opposed to the Dominican faction) are those Chaldean hierarchs who support the ongoing and very vibrant dialogue between the Chaldean Catholic Church and its counterpart, the Assyrian Church of the East. The Papalists are also identified with preservation of the Church's Syriac heritage, whereas the Dominicans have strongly promoted the so-called "Arabic Rite", which would put the Church in a better position for evangelization among Arabs, at the expense of the identity and culture of its historic faithful.

Despite his Telkaefi origins, at least one Chaldean-Assyrian website describes Mar Delly as the least controversial figure in the Chaldean hierarchy; he is said to be well-liked by both the Vatican and other Iraqi bishops. The combination of his age and the fact that, despite adherence to the so-called "Syriac Rite" party, he has not been outspoken on the issue, may indicate that he will be seen as a caretaker. However, no one seems to have considered him a compromise candidate.

With 22 participants reported as present for the Patriarchal election, it appears that all but 1 of the members of the Synod were present (based on my very rough and quick count).

God Grant His Holiness many years.

Neil

Many years!

Many years!

Alex

I have a very good friend who is from the Chaldean diaspora in San Diego. His family was on vacation in the states when the first Gulf War broke out, and so they just stayed.

I wonder if the new Patriarch's advanced age is a sign that he was elected as an "interim" Patriarch?

Anyway, if so may he defy their expectations! MANY YEARS!

LT

May the newly elected Patriarch of Babylon for the Chaldeans, His Beatitude Karim III, have a fruitful reign in Baghdad and elsewhere in the diaspora!

And may the remarkable act of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, in allowing the Holy Synod of the Chaldean Church to continue exercising its prerogative to elect the Chaldean Patriarch, provisions of the Eastern Code of Canons to the contrary notwithstanding, become a guidepost for the future exercise of the Petrine ministry!

AmdG

God Grant His Beatitude many years of Faithfilled Service to Christ's Church!!!!!!!!

Thank God the Arabizer bishop did not get elected!!! (I'm not anti-Arab by any stetch but the Assyrians/Chaldeans need all the support they can get to stay alive and as a cultural entity!)

anastasios

Dear Anastasius,

Yes, I think the Copts share your view too . . .

Alex

Dear Friends,

Hang on a minute here!

Didn't someone here once suggest that the Chaldeans were going to declare the Assyrian Patriarch their own Patriarch - and so unite the entire Church?

Does anyone know anything about that?

Fad saol agat!

(As with everything else, if you don't use it, you'll lose it.)

Alex

Dear Alex:

That's very naughty of you!

AmdG

Dear Amado,

Well, I have an old electric hair-dryer, and, due to infrequent use, it takes a lot to turn it on.

But you seem to get turned on rather easily . . .

Alex

Started to say something about the above two posts, then decided it wasn't polite...

Tammy