Cardinal Sako pushes church unity to safeguard Iraq’s Christians

Shafaq News – Erbil

Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Iraq and the world, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, on Saturday, called for the creation of a new council uniting all churches in Iraq to safeguard the rights of Christian citizens.

Marking the Nicaea Council for Christians in Erbil, Sako emphasized that the council aims to protect the rights of Christians in Iraq, “alleviate their suffering,” and function collectively as a unified team.

“We are fully and permanently prepared to form this council for the benefit of our future generations,” he added.

The call follows a visit to Vienna, where Cardinal Sako addressed diplomats and government officials, urging the international community to protect Iraq’s dwindling Christian population and support a secure, inclusive, and prosperous Iraq.

Once numbering around 1.5 million, the Christian community in Iraq has shrunk to fewer than 150,000 due to years of conflict, persecution, and emigration.