The Chaldean Church Elects New Patriarch Bishop Emile Shimoun Nona

Bishop Emile Shimoun Nona, now known as Mar Paul III Nona, has been elected as the new patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church. This followed the resignation of Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, who stepped down on March 10, 2026, at the age of 73. His resignation, described as “by reason of age,” came amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East and raised questions among observers, as Eastern patriarchs are not required to retire due to age.

The election of Bishop Nona took place on April 12, 2026, during a three-day synod meeting in Rome. In a speech to the synod participants on April 10, Pope Leo XIV encouraged the bishops to choose a leader “able to take on the weight of difficulties with realism.” Bishop Nona, 59, was selected for this role. He previously served as the head of the Chaldean diaspora in Australia.

Born in 1967 in Alqosh, Iraq, Bishop Nona has a long history of pastoral service. He was ordained a priest in Baghdad in 1991 and served as a vicar in Alqosh from 1993 to 1997. He later became a parish priest until 2000, when he pursued theological studies at the University of Lateran in Rome. Upon returning to Iraq in 2005, he was appointed vicar general of the diocese of Alqosh and professor of anthropology at Babel College in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.

In 2009, he was elected archbishop of Mosul and ordained bishop in 2010, succeeding Bishop Paulos Faraj Rahho, who had been kidnapped and killed in 2008. His tenure as bishop was marked by the rise of Daesh, which led to the displacement of many Christians from the Nineveh Plain. Since 2015, he has served as the archbishop of the Chaldeans in Sydney, overseeing a significant diaspora community in Australia.

The new patriarch has expressed his commitment to “the service of unity and mission of the Chaldean Church, both in the Middle East and in the diaspora.” He is expected to be elevated to the rank of cardinal, likely after the 80th anniversary of Cardinal Sako, in July 2028.

The announcement of Cardinal Sako’s resignation coincided with the arrest of Mgr. Emanuel Hana Shaleta, the Chaldean bishop of San Diego, who was accused of embezzling church funds and was detained by U.S. authorities on March 5, 2026, while attempting to board a flight to Europe.

Cardinal Sako’s tenure of 13 years was marked by significant challenges, including the Daesh offensive in 2014, which forced many Christians to flee the Nineveh Plain. Additionally, the Iraqi president’s refusal to recognize him as the head of the Chaldean Church contributed to his decision to resign. In a statement, Cardinal Sako expressed his support for his successor.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Spanish)