Chaldean Church Patriarch arrives in Erbil

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and worldwide, on Friday arrived in Erbil from Istanbul and was welcomed by senior Kurdistan Region officials.

After the Iraqi presidency issued a new decree on July 3, replacing Decree No. 147 of 2013 that designated Sako as patriarch, the patriarch decided to withdraw from Baghdad and transfer the patriarchate to Erbil.

Read More: Patriarch of the Iraqi Chaldean Church transfers from Baghdad to Erbil

Cardinal Sako held a press conference after arriving in Erbil, where he thanked Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, and Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani for their concern.

Furthermore, he expressed his sadness for leaving Baghdad, saying the Iraqi president had done him a great injustice and issued an oppressive decision against him.

Meanwhile, Pshtiwan Sadiq, the Kurdistan Region Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs, welcomed the patriarch on behalf of PM Barzani.

Sadiq underlined that coexistence in the Kurdistan Region is a positive development for the Middle East, and serious efforts have been made to preserve and promote this coexistence.

On July 13, Christians in Ankawa rallied against the presidential decree that ousted Sako. They called on the Iraqi presidency to cancel the decree.

Nonetheless, Iraqi President in a statement announced that the withdrawal of Decree No. 147 will not harm Cardinal Sako's religious or legal status because he has been appointed as patriarch of the Chaldean Church by Pope Francis.