Chaldean in Iraq


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Ethnically they are Assyrians. They are Catholic Assyrians, adherents of the Chaldean Catholic Church. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia strictly the name of Chaldeans is no longer correct, they have no historical relationship with the old Chaldeans tribes inhabited southern part of Assyrian empire as mentioned in Bible "Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness" Isaiah. 23:13 They are the former Assyrian Nestorians united with the Roman Church. In 1551, the Christian community in the province of Atour (Assyria) refused to accept the appointment of Shim'un VII Denka as Patriarch of the Church of the East, They sent a monk, Youhanna Sulaqa the abbot of Mar Hurmizd monastery to Rome. In early 1553 Pope Julius III proclaimed him Patriarch Simon VIII "of Nineveh in east Atour (Assyria)" and ordained him a bishop in St. Peter's Basilica on April 9, 1553 as Patriarch of Nineveh, known as the District of Atour (Assyria). The new Patriarch returned to his homeland in late 1553 and began to initiate a series of reforms. But opposition, led by the rival Assyrian Patriarch, was strong. Simon was soon captured by the pasha of Amadiya, tortured and executed in January 1555. Over the next three centuries, difficulties of communication gave rise to problems. The Sulaqa line (normally with the name Simeon) remained in communion with Rome until 1672, while members of the other line (with the name Elias) briefly entered communion with Rome on several occasions. In 1681 a new Uniat line of Patriarchs at Diyarbekr was inaugurated (with the name of Joseph) to last for well over a century. The first time a Patriarch was associated with the word Chaldean was Youhannan Hurmizd who was called by Pope Pius XIII in 1828 "Patriarch of Chaldean" over the "Chaldean Rite" in which the Church became definitely Papal in its obedience as one of the "Uniate Churches" of the East. And the first to be called the "Chaldean Patriarch" was Mar Nicolas Zaia in 1844. Later the word Babil was added in 1847 when Mar Yousif Odo was consecrated as "Patriarch of Babylon over the Chaldean." while as we mentioned that in 1553 Pope Julius III proclaimed him Patriarch Simon VIII, therefore the name Chaldean refers to the (Catholic) 'rites' of the Assyrian Nestorians those connected with the Catholic Church in Rome.


Where Are they Located?

Geographically, the Catholic Chaldeans originate from central historical Assyria, the Nineveh plains, and Nineveh province nowadays where the ruins of the ancient Assyrian capitals of Nineveh and Nimrud are located. In addition to Iraq, migrant Chaldean communities are found in the United States, European Union countries, Turkey, Syria, Iran and Lebanon.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Many of Chaldean are businessmen and technocrats, and a few have assumed high government positions.


What Are Their Beliefs?

As with the vast majority of Assyrian peoples, Chaldeans completely are Christians.


What Are Their Needs?

The Assyrian people in Iraq are under persecution, experiencing killing, kidnapping and displacement.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Chaldean in Iraq.


Profile Source:   Anonymous  

People Name General Chaldean
People Name in Country Chaldean
Population this Country 93,000
Population all Countries 129,000
Total Countries 6
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 3
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
Alternate Names Kildanean
People ID 11295
ROP3 Code 101983
Country Iraq
Region Africa, North and Middle East
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 18  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Contiguous with Assyrian Neo-Aramaic [aii] enclaves in Dahuk and Ninawa governorates.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Iraq
Region Africa, North and Middle East
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 18  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Contiguous with Assyrian Neo-Aramaic [aii] enclaves in Dahuk and Ninawa governorates..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 1.00 %)
96.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
4.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Chaldean Neo-Aramaic
Language Code cld   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Chaldean Neo-Aramaic
Language Code cld   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Chaldean Neo-Aramaic

Primary Language:  Chaldean Neo-Aramaic

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1992)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (2006)
Bible-Complete No
Bible-NT Audio Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Chaldean Neo-Aramaic Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Text / Printed Matter Aramaic New Testament General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Christopher Younan 
Map Source Bryan Nicholson / cartoMission  
Profile Source Anonymous  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Read more