Rachel Evans
Iraq has been home to a sizable Christian population for almost two millennia, but Christianity is a minority faith in the country. There has not been an official census in Iraq since 2010, so there is no exact number of Christians in the country. Local leaders suggested that there were 150,000 Christians in 2022, while other estimates put the figure at 295,000. All estimates suggest that Christians make up less than 1% of the country's population. Most Iraqi Catholics (
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic Population in Iraq | Less than 1% of the country's population. Local leaders suggested 150,000 in 2022, while other estimates suggest 295,000. |
| Catholic Church Presence | The Chaldean Catholic Church has 10 dioceses in Iraq, with churches all over the country, especially in the north. |
| Catholic Rites in Iraq | Chaldean Catholic, Syriac Catholic, Armenian, Greek, and Latin-rite Catholics. |
| Chaldean Catholic Population | 82% of Iraqi Catholics are Chaldean Catholic. |
| Syriac Catholic Population | 17% of Iraqi Catholics are Syriac Catholic. |
| Catholic Dioceses in Iraq | 15 currently active dioceses in Iraq and a Patriarchal See as of 2023. |
| Catholic Parishes in Iraq | 143 parishes as of 2020. |
| Catholic Priests in Iraq | 170 as of 2020. |
| Catholic Nuns in Iraq | 364 as of 2020. |
| Catholic Population Before the Second Gulf War | Christians made up about 4-5% of the population, with most living in Baghdad, Mosul, Basrah, and towns and villages of Kurdistan. |
| Catholic Population Decline | Since 2003, a high number of Christians have been displaced, and about half have left the country. |
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What You'll Learn
Chaldean Catholic Church
The Chaldean Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic particular church that is in full communion with the Holy See and the rest of the Catholic Church. It employs the East Syriac Rite in the Syriac dialect of the Aramaic language in its liturgy. It is part of Syriac Christianity and headquartered in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows in Baghdad, Iraq, since 1950. The church is headed by the Chaldean Patriarchate, currently the Catholicos-Patriarch Louis Raphaël I Sako.
The Chaldean Catholic Church traces its beginnings to the Church of the East, founded in the Parthian Empire. The Church of the East is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, which mentions that the apostles preached to Parthians on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9). The Church of the East continued to develop its distinctive identity under the Sasanian Empire, which overthrew the Parthians in 224, through its use of the Syriac language and script.
The term "Chaldean" does not represent an ethnicity but a church. The majority of Chaldean Catholics today are ethnic Assyrians, also known as Chaldo-Assyrians. In modern-day Iraq, Chaldean Catholics primarily inhabit villages and cities such as Alqosh, Ankawa, Araden, Baqofah, Batnaya, Karamlesh, Mangesh, Shaqlawa, Tesqopa, Tel Keppe, Dawodiya, Faysh Khabur, and Zakho. There are also Chaldean Catholic communities in the diaspora, with large populations in countries like the United States (particularly in Michigan, Illinois, California, Arizona, and Southeast Michigan), Canada (with 38,000 Chaldean Catholics in Toronto), and Australia (with 4,498 Chaldean Catholics according to the 2006 census).
According to various sources, the Chaldean Catholic Church constitutes a significant proportion of Iraqi Catholics, with estimates ranging from 67% to 82%. However, there are no exact numbers, as there has not been a census in Iraq since 2010. Local leaders suggested that there were 150,000 Christians in Iraq in 2022, while other estimates placed the number at 295,000 Catholics, constituting less than 1% of the country's population.
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Syriac/Syrian Catholic Church
The Syriac Catholic Church, also known as the Syrian Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic self-governing particular church that is in full communion with the Holy See and the Catholic Church. It originated in the Levant and uses the West Syriac Rite liturgy, sharing many practices and rites with the Syriac Orthodox Church. The liturgical language used by the Syriac Catholic Church is Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic—the same language spoken by Jesus, Mary, and the Apostles.
The Syriac Catholic Church traces its history to the Church of Antioch, which was established by Saint Peter. Antioch held ecclesiastical authority over the Diocese of the Orient, which extended from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. The Church of Antioch split following the Council of Chalcedon in 451 over disagreements on Christology, with the Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian churches becoming part of Oriental Orthodoxy. A decree of unity between the Syriac Orthodox Church and Rome was made at the Council of Florence in 1444, but it was quickly annulled by the Syriac hierarchy.
In the 17th century, missionary work led to conversions to Catholicism among Syriac Christians. In 1662, Andrew Akijan, a supporter of union with the Catholic Church, was elected as Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church. After his death in 1677, rival Catholic and Orthodox Syriac patriarchs were elected between then and 1702. The current line of Syriac Catholic patriarchs of Antioch began in 1782 when Michael Jarweh declared himself in communion with the Pope of Rome after being elected by the Syriac Orthodox Holy Synod. Jarweh took refuge in Lebanon and built the monastery of Our Lady at Sharfeh, becoming the patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church.
There are about 140,000 Syriac Catholics worldwide, with the majority in Syria and Iraq and smaller communities in Lebanon and the diaspora. In Iraq, about 17% of Catholics belong to the Syriac Catholic Church, which is one of the smaller Eastern Catholic churches in the Middle East.
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Catholic population estimates
Christianity is a minority faith in Iraq, but Mesopotamia has been home to a sizable Christian population for almost two millennia. There has not been an official census in Iraq since 2010, so the exact number of Christians in the country is unknown. Local leaders suggested that there were 150,000 Christians in 2022, while other estimates put the figure at 295,000. All estimates suggest that Christians make up less than 1% of Iraq's population.
The majority of Iraqi Christians are Catholics, most of whom (82%) are members of the Chaldean Catholic Church. The rest are mainly Syriac Catholics (17%), with smaller numbers of Armenian, Greek, and Latin-rite Catholics. The Chaldean Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic church that recognises the authority of the pope in Rome and has its own unique liturgical practices. It is primarily based in Baghdad and has around 641,000 members worldwide, with large communities in the United States due to emigration driven by persecution.
Chaldean Catholics have a long history in Iraq, with roots tracing back to the first century CE. Initially known as the Church of the East or the East Syrian Church, the church grew significantly over time, but persecution and martyrdom caused the congregation to diminish. In the 1200s, some Chaldean Catholic bishops were converted by Roman Catholic missionaries, creating intermittent good relations between the two groups. In 1551, a group of Chaldean Catholics officially accepted Roman Catholic teachings about the nature of Jesus, solidifying their communion with Rome and establishing the modern Chaldean Catholic Church.
In the early 2000s, the war in Iraq caused many Christians, including Chaldean Catholics, to flee the country due to fear of persecution. The Archbishop of Erbil in Kurdistan warned in 2019 that Catholicism and Christianity were in danger of becoming 'extinct' in Iraq due to persistent persecution from militant Islamic groups such as Daesh. Despite these challenges, Pope Francis' pilgrimage to Iraq in 2021 may be a significant step towards improving the situation for Christians in the country.
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Catholic emigration from Iraq
Christianity is a minority faith in Iraq, with Catholics making up less than 1% of the country's population. However, Mesopotamia has been home to a sizable Christian population for almost two millennia. The majority of Iraqi Catholics are ethnic Assyrians, also known as Chaldo-Assyrians, and they primarily follow the Chaldean Catholic Church. Other Catholic groups include the Syriac Catholic Church, Armenian Catholics, Greek Catholics, and Latin-rite Catholics.
History of Violence Against Christians in Iraq
Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, violence against Christians increased, with reports of abduction, torture, bombings, and killings. Christian Assyrians and Armenians were targeted by Islamist extremist organizations, and many Christians fled from Baghdad and other areas to the Kurdistan region. In 2004, an attack by Islamists on Iraqi Christian churches killed 11 people. In 2006, an Orthodox Christian priest, Boulos Iskander, was beheaded despite the payment of a ransom. In 2008, the Archbishop of Mosul, Paulos Faraj Rahho of the Chaldean Catholic Church, was abducted and killed. In 2010, there were reports of people in Mosul being stopped and shot if they had Assyrian or Christian names. That same year, an attack on an Assyrian Syriac Catholic church in Baghdad killed 58 people, including 41 hostages and priests.
ISIS and the Acceleration of Christian Emigration
The rise of ISIS in Iraq further threatened the Christian population. In 2014, for the first time in 1,600 years, no Mass was celebrated in Mosul, the former center of Iraqi Christianity. Almost all remaining Christians fled to the autonomous Kurdish region in the north, while those who could not escape were forced to convert or were captured and used as sex slaves. ISIS issued a price list for Christian and Yazidi slaves, valuing an 8-year-old girl at $170. The violence and persecution by ISIS accelerated the emigration of Christians from Iraq, with many seeking refuge in neighboring countries before heading to distant destinations such as Australia.
Ongoing Emigration and Decline of the Christian Population
The emigration of Christians from Iraq has continued in recent years, with social, economic, security, and political factors driving their decision to leave. Delayed salaries, power outages, water scarcity, and other challenges have contributed to the exodus. Additionally, the failure of the government to fulfill its promises has renewed Christians' desire to emigrate, especially among young people seeking a better future away from the uncertainties and challenges in Iraq. The Christian population in Iraq is also declining due to lower birth rates and higher death rates compared to the Muslim population.
Impact on the Chaldean Catholic Church
The emigration of Chaldean Catholics from Iraq has resulted in the establishment of dioceses and communities in Western countries. In 2006, the Eparchy of Oceania was established in Australia and New Zealand, with a large immigration of Chaldean Catholics to cities in the United States, particularly in Michigan, Illinois, and California. In 2011, a new Chaldean Catholic eparchy was erected in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, serving the largest community of Chaldeans in the country.
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Catholic persecution in Iraq
Iraq is home to one of the world's oldest continuous Christian communities, with Christians living in the region for almost two millennia. The majority of Iraqi Christians are Chaldean Catholics, with smaller numbers of Assyrian Church of the East, Ancient Church of the East, and Syriac Orthodox Church adherents.
However, the Christian community in Iraq has faced persecution and violence throughout its history. In the 14th century, Assyrian Christians were severely persecuted by the Turko-Mongol warlord Timur, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands. In the 16th century, during the Ottoman Empire, the Church of the East re-established ties with the Catholic Church in Rome, but a dispute over the election of a new patriarch led to a split in the church.
In more recent times, the Christian community in Iraq has faced widespread persecution and violence, particularly during the Iraq War (2013-2017) and the rise of ISIS. During this period, thousands of Iraqi Christians fled to Baghdad and other parts of southern Iraq, seeking refuge from persecution and violence. Many Christians were targeted by ISIS for their faith and were forcibly expelled from their homes in Mosul and other areas.
Even before the rise of ISIS, Christians in Iraq faced discrimination and violence. After the US/UK invasion in 2003, reports of violence against Christians increased, and they faced systematic persecution during the control of ISIS. Christians in Iraq also face long-standing discrimination in employment, especially in the public sector, and limited employment opportunities contribute to high migration rates.
The future of Christianity in Iraq remains uncertain. In 2019, the Archbishop of Erbil warned that Catholicism and Christianity were in danger of becoming 'extinct' in the country due to persistent persecution from militant Islamic groups. However, Pope Francis' pilgrimage to Iraq in 2021 may be a significant step towards improving relations between Christians and Muslims in the country.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no exact number of Catholics in Iraq, but estimates suggest that there were between 150,000 and 295,000 Catholics in 2022.
All figures suggest that Catholics make up less than 1% of Iraq's population.
The majority (82%) of Iraqi Catholics belong to the Chaldean Catholic Church, about 17% belong to the Syriac Catholic Church, and the remainder are primarily Armenian, Greek, and Latin-rite Catholics.
The Chaldean Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church that is in communion with the pope in Rome. They hold many of the same beliefs as other Catholic churches, including the belief in the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, but they have unique liturgical practices and celebrate certain sacraments differently.
