Pope Leo XIV grants ecclesiastical communion to new Chaldean Patriarch Polis III Nona.

Pope Leo XIV granted ecclesiastical communion to the new Patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldean Catholic Church, His Beatitude Polis III Nona. This formal recognition affirms full communion with the Apostolic See, allowing the new leader to exercise his ministry across Iraq and the global Chaldean diaspora.

The Chaldean Catholic Church, one of more than 20 Eastern Catholic Churches under the authority of the Pope, operates with a degree of autonomy as outlined in canon 27 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. This autonomy enables the Church to manage its internal affairs according to its own established laws.

The election of the new Patriarch followed a synod of bishops, who selected Polis III Nona to succeed Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako upon his resignation. The new patriarch was elected on April 12 and received ecclesiastical communion on April 24, as requested in a letter to Pope Leo XIV, in accordance with canon 76 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

In his letter to the new patriarch, Pope Leo XIV expressed joy at granting ecclesiastical communion, describing it as an expression and bond of full communion with the Apostolic See. This recognition enables the patriarch to fully carry out his role as the leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church, overseeing both the Church’s presence in Iraq and its growing diaspora.

Once ecclesiastical communion is granted, the patriarch is empowered to convene the synod of bishops, preside over it, and order bishops within the Church. Pope Leo XIV also raised his prayers for the new patriarch, urging him to proclaim the Gospel and strengthen ecclesial communion in both his homeland and among the diaspora.

The Holy Father highlighted that Polis III Nona was elected on the day the Chaldean liturgy commemorates the encounter of the Risen Christ with St. Thomas, from whom the living tradition of the Church originates. This connection underscores the spiritual foundation of the Church’s mission and leadership.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Spanish)