Mar Paulos III Nona enthroned as new patriarch of the Chaldean Church in the presence of patriarchs of the Syriac Rite

Syriac Press ^ | 30/05/2026

[Cronos]

BAGHDAD — The Chaldean Catholic Church welcomed its new church hierarch during a grand spiritual ceremony in the Mar Yawsef Chaldean Cathedral in the Karada district of Baghdad on 29 May, known as ‘Golden Friday,’ celebrating the first apostolic miracle. In the special liturgical service, attended by numerous patriarchs, bishops, and faithful from around the world, Mar Paulos III Nona was vested with patriarchal authority and the patriarchal staff.

Among those attending the ceremony were Mar Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch Emeritus of the Chaldean Church, Mar Awa III, patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, Mar Gewargis III, patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East, Mar Aphrem II, patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, patriarch of the Syriac Maronite Church, Mar Youssef III Younan, patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church, Mar Youssef Absi, patriarch of the Melkite Greek (Rûm) Catholic Church, Mar Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church, and Mar Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak, patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church. The Vatican delegated Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for the Eastern Churches.

During the ceremony presided over by Bishop Mar Antoine Audo, Chaldean bishops placed their hands on the shoulders of the new patriarch, invoking the grace of the Holy Spirit as a symbol of episcopal unity. After donning the patriarchal vestments, Mar Paulos III was seated on his patriarchal throne. Subsequently, all Chaldean bishops collectively held the patriarchal staff as a symbol of their loyalty and obedience to the new patriarch. Six Fundamental Principles

In his address, Patriarch Mar Paulos III Nona read the following passage from the Gospel: “Do not be afraid, just believe” (Mark 5:36). He emphasized that faith is not a withdrawal into isolation, but rather a courageous openness grounded in trust in a living person and liberation from anxiety.

The new patriarch outlined six main priorities to guide him in his leadership: Unity of the Church: Ensuring that, despite differences in opinions, the goals remain united; Spiritual Life: Leaving a deep spiritual impact on society through faith; Clergy and Ongoing Formation: Viewing clergy not as mere subordinates, but as partners in service and spiritual work; Focus on the youth: Positioning young people as the strength and future of the Church; Authentic Identity: Preserving liturgical traditions, the Syriac-Aramaic language, customs, and Eastern Christian spiritual philosophy; And lastly, Brotherhood: Developing a bond of fraternity based on shared faith, especially with the Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East, beyond formal relations alone (the Chaldean Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Ancient Church of the East were once one church, the Church of the East).

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TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events
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[Cronos]

He is the latest Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church - an Eastern Catholic Church in communion with and under the Bishop of Rome and yet an independent rite (like the Latin, the Maronite etc.)

He follows in the line of Yohannan VIII Hormizd (1830–1838) Nicholas I Zaya (1839–1846) Joseph VI Audo (1847–1878) Eliya XIV Abulyonan (1878–1894) Audishu V Khayyath (1894–1899) Yousef VI Emmanuel II Thomas (1900–1946) Yousef VII Ghanima (1946–1958) Paul II Cheikho (1958–1989) Raphael I Bidawid (1989–2003) Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly (2003–2012) Cardinal Louis Raphaël I Sako (2013–2026) Paul III Nona (2026–Present)

Prior to his election, he was the Archbishop of Mosul who had been forced into exile by ISIS in 2014, and subsequently served the diaspora in Australia and New Zealand.

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In terms of doctrine and dogma, the Chaldean Catholic Church and the Latin (Roman) Rite Catholic Church do not differ at all. They are in full, visible communion with each other, meaning they share the exact same core deposit of faith, the same seven sacraments, and the same submission to the authority of the Pope and the Magisterium.

However, where they differ is not in what they believe, but in how they express, emphasize, and philosophically articulate those identical truths. The Latin Church uses a Western, scholastic framework (heavily influenced by St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas), while the Chaldean Church uses an ancient, Semitic, East Syrian framework.

Both churches fully affirm the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD): Jesus is one Divine Person with two distinct natures—fully God and fully man.

Both churches believe in the Real Presence—that the bread and wine literally become the physical Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. The Chaldean Church approaches this purely as a holy Mysterium (Raza). They use the Anaphora of Addai and Mari, which is one of the absolute oldest Eucharistic liturgies in existence (dating back to the 2nd century). It focuses heavily on the Epiclesis—the calling down of the Holy Spirit to transform the gifts.

Their liturgical language is Aramaic / Syriac - the language that Jesus spoke.

Married men can be ordained as priests

[Pontiac]

Being a curious person I had to look it up.

The title ‘Mar’ translates to ‘my Lord’.

[Cronos]

though it’s most often used as a title like “saint” - hence the “MarThomite” or the Maronite = Mar maron

In it’s HIGHEST form it is MARAN - that’s where we get the term MARANatha

[Cronos]

though it’s most often used as a title like “saint” - hence the “MarThomite” or the Maronite = Mar maron

In it’s HIGHEST form it is MARAN used only for Jesus - that’s where we get the term MARANatha (”come Our Lord!”)