Onuphrius
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Chaldean Patriarch Named Cardinal
On Saturday, November 24, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI made the Chaldean Patriarch, His Beatitude Emmanuel III Delly a cardinal. He was the first Chaldean Patriarch in history to be elevated to the College of Cardinals.
The Chaldean Rite is an ancient Eastern Rite that has its own distinctive and beautiful liturgy. The Chaldeans are the original Christians of Iraq, and they date back to a time shortly after the time of the Apostles. Iraq was a majority Christian country before being overrun by Muslim invaders many centuries ago.
The Chaldean Catholics and other Eastern Rites in Iraq today make up about 4-5% of the total population. About 50% of them have fled the country after the U.S. invasion in 2003, because, although they had freedom of religion and protection of their churches under Saddam Hussein's rule (his foreign minister was a Chaldean Catholic) the Muslim extremists now have de facto rule over the streets of Iraq, and many Christians have had no choice but to flee to other countries for safety.
Chaldean Cathlics and their Orthodox counterparts still speak Aramaic (the "Assyrian Language") illustrating the antiquity of their religious culture. The Chaldean Patriarch has the title Patriarch of Babylon (the ancient Old Testament name for Iraq).
Let us heed Pope Benedict's plea to pray for the Christians of Iraq and for peace in the entire country.
Last edited by Onuphrius, 11/25/2007, 2:44 am
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11/25/2007, 2:40 am
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AndyS333
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Registered: 03-2006
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Re: Chaldean Patriarch Named Cardinal
This is great news Onu! Great to see you again. Here is a link to a nice news story by an independent reporter in Iraq on Christians in Iraq.
Michael Yon dispatch on St. John's Church in Baghdad reopening
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11/25/2007, 2:55 am
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