'Iraq Backs Sole Middle East Candidate for Papacy,' Says Iraqi PM

By Kamaran Aziz

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – As the Vatican enters a period of mourning and transition following the death of Pope Francis, Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has expressed official support for Iraqi Cardinal Louis Raphaël I Sako as a candidate to succeed the late Pontiff—making Sako the only contender from the Middle East in the current papal succession.

In a statement posted on the X platform on Tuesday, Iraq's Prime Minister Sudani affirmed Baghdad’s backing for the Chaldean Patriarch, highlighting both his national and international stature. “We reaffirm our unwavering support for His Beatitude Cardinal Louis Raphaël I Sako, the sole nominee from the Middle East to succeed the late Pope Francis (may his soul rest in peace) as the head of the Holy See in the Vatican. His Beatitude is widely respected both locally and internationally, and he plays a vital role in advancing peace and fostering interfaith tolerance,” Sudani wrote.

The Prime Minister emphasized Iraq’s long-standing Christian heritage, stating, “Iraq has long been one of the most significant homelands for followers of the Christian faith, who have lived in harmony and brotherhood with other religious communities throughout history. Today, Iraq remains a land where all Christian denominations are represented—embodying a spirit of love and unity among believers of diverse religions.”

We reaffirm our unwavering support for His Beatitude Cardinal Louis Raphaël I Sako, the sole nominee from the Middle East to succeed the late Pope Francis (may his soul rest in peace) as the head of the Holy See in the Vatican. His Beatitude is widely respected both locally and…

— محمد شياع السوداني (@mohamedshia) April 22, 2025

The gesture comes amid global focus on the Vatican as 135 cardinals under the age of 80 prepare to participate in the conclave that will elect the next Pope. Although Cardinal Sako is not considered among the top frontrunners, his nomination as a symbolic candidate of the Middle East has drawn attention to Iraq’s religious diversity and interfaith leadership.

Cardinal Sako, born in Zakho, Kurdistan Region, in 1948, has served as Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church since 2013. He was ordained in the Chaldean Archdiocese of Mosul in 1974 and has since become one of Iraq’s most distinguished ecclesiastical leaders.

A scholar as well as a cleric, Sako earned his first doctorate from the Pontifical University in Rome in 1983 and later received a master’s in Islamic jurisprudence. He was awarded a second doctorate from the Sorbonne in 1986. His academic and theological background has made him a prominent voice for dialogue between Christianity and Islam.

His ecclesiastical career included service as Bishop of Kirkuk from 2002 to 2013. He was elected Patriarch by the Chaldean Synod in Rome in 2013, succeeding Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly. In 2022, he joined the Vatican’s Council for the Economy. Over the years, Sako has authored more than 200 scholarly articles and 20 books on Christian theology and canon law.

His work has earned him numerous awards, including the Italian Order of the Defender of the Faith, the Pax Christi International Peace Award, and the German Order of Saint Stephen for Human Rights. His long-standing advocacy for peace, religious coexistence, and minority rights has made him a respected figure both in Iraq and internationally.

While many observers expect the next Pope to emerge from among high-profile European and Latin American cardinals, Cardinal Sako’s candidacy symbolizes the global face of the Church and Iraq’s enduring Christian presence. His supporters view his nomination as a tribute not only to his character but to the resilience of Iraq’s Christian community, which has weathered decades of conflict, persecution, and displacement.

The coming conclave includes prominent candidates such as Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State; Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna; and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines. Yet the papal election process is famously unpredictable, and Cardinal Sako’s presence among the contenders is a reminder of the Church’s increasingly global reach.

The Vatican will host Pope Francis’s funeral in the coming days, followed by the sealed deliberations of the College of Cardinals. For Iraq, and for many Christians across the Middle East, Cardinal Sako’s candidacy stands as a symbol of dignity, faith, and the enduring hope for peace across faiths and frontiers.