Nechirvan Barzani Congratulates New Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Mar Paulos III Nona
President Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Region congratulated Archbishop Emil Shimoun Nona on his election as the new Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church. Nona, who took the title His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Paulos III, was elected on April 12 by the Chaldean Synod of Bishops in Rome, succeeding Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, who resigned on March 10.
The Election in Rome
The Chaldean Synod of Bishops convened in Rome on April 9. The bishops also met with Pope Leo XIV ahead of the vote. Nona, known for his strong public engagement, prevailed and assumed the patriarchal name Mar Paulos III.
Who is Emil Shimoun Nona?
Born in 1968 in Alqosh (Elkosh), a historic Chaldean town in the Nineveh Plains, Nona became Archbishop of Mosul. In June 2014, ISIS overran Mosul, forcing tens of thousands of Christians to flee. Nona was among those displaced.
He later led the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Sydney in Australia and became Apostolic Visitor for Chaldean Catholics in Europe. Throughout his career, Nona has consistently discouraged emigration from Iraq and supported the return of displaced persons.
What is the Chaldean Catholic Church?
The Chaldean Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic church in communion with Rome, tracing its origins to the ancient Church of the East in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). It uses the East Syriac liturgical tradition and celebrates rites in Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus. With approximately 600,000 members worldwide, most live in Iraq (particularly in the Kurdistan Region and Nineveh Plains), with significant diaspora communities in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Europe.
Christians in Kurdistan
The relationship between Kurds and Christians in northern Iraq stretches back millennia. Cities like Alqosh, Ankawa (a predominantly Christian neighborhood of Hewler/Erbil), and Duhok have been home to Chaldean, Assyrian, and Syriac communities for centuries.
The Kurdistan Region has positioned itself as a model of coexistence. The KRG's protection of Christian holy sites, support for Christian education in Syriac languages, and inclusion of Christians in governance have earned international recognition. After the ISIS crisis, Hewler (Erbil) became a refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced Christians.
Barzani's warm congratulations reflect this commitment. Mar Paulos III's roots in Alqosh, within Kurdistan's sphere of cultural influence, make his election particularly resonant for Kurdish-Christian relations.