The Chaldean Synod has elected Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona as the new patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, succeeding Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, who submitted his resignation to Pope Leo XIV on March 9 amid a financial and legal scandal concerning a former Chaldean bishop in San Diego. The election took place during the synod’s meetings held in Rome since April 9. This election comes at a critical time for both the Chaldean Church and the wider region amid ongoing political challenges, in Iraq and the Middle East, as well as internal ecclesial issues related to unity, and the organization of Church life both locally and in the diaspora.
Following the election, the Chaldean bishops issued a statement saying: “After deep spiritual and fraternal deliberations, conducted in a spirit of prayer and ecclesial discernment, and mindful of the apostolic responsibility entrusted to them, the fathers of the synod elected the patriarch of the Chaldean Church according to the established canonical procedures. After completing the required ballots, and in accordance with the will expressed by the synod, His Excellency Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona was elected patriarch of the Chaldean Church and chose for himself the name His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Paul III Nona.”
The statement continued: “His Beatitude accepted the election in accordance with canonical norms, expressing his reliance on God’s grace and his commitment to exercise his patriarchal ministry with fidelity and responsibility, in full communion with the fathers of the synod, in service of the unity of the Chaldean Church and its mission in the homeland and the diaspora.” “The fathers of the synod raise their prayers to the Lord Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, asking that he grant the elected patriarch wisdom and strength”. They affirm their confidence that “this ministry will contribute to strengthening the faithful in their faith, enhancing their unity, and revitalizing the Church’s mission in bearing witness to the Gospel.”
The synod also called on all members of the Chaldean Church – clergy and faithful alike – to unite around the new patriarch and support him through prayer and shared responsibility for the good of the Church and the growth of its mission.
Nona was born in Alqosh in northern Iraq in 1967. He was ordained a priest in 1991 after completing his studies at the Patriarchal Seminary in Baghdad. He later pursued higher studies in Rome, earning a doctorate in theological anthropology from the Pontifical Lateran University. He served in the parishes of Alqosh before being appointed archbishop of Mosul in 2009, during a period marked by escalating violence against Christians in Iraq. During the events of 2014, he left Mosul along with his faithful following the takeover of the city by the terrorist group ISIS, marking a pivotal moment in the modern history of the Chaldean Church. In 2015, the Holy See appointed him head of the Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle in Australia and New Zealand, where he continued his pastoral ministry among the Chaldean diaspora.
His appointment comes following the resignation of Cardinal Raphael Sako, who announced that he submitted his resignation to Pope Leo XIV of his own free will on the morning of March 9 so he could “dedicate himself quietly to prayer, writing, and simple service.” The timing sparked controversy within the Chaldean community. Pope Leo XIV on March 10 accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Shaleta, a Chaldean Catholic bishop arrested in San Diego in March on charges of embezzling Church funds. Sako had allegedly attempted to support or transfer the embattled bishop to a higher position, leading many to question whether the financial scandal played a role in the patriarch’s decision.(EWTN news)
