Chaldean Church priests in Iraq have voiced their strong displeasure over the withdrawal of the presidential decree affecting their patriarch by the Iraqi presidency, labeling it as an affront to all Chaldeans and Iraqi Christians.
Gathering for a four-day congregation at Deri Kahanuti in the town of Ankawa, Erbil province, approximately 70 individuals will convene for prayer, discussion, and the sharing of fraternal sentiments, as outlined in their statement.
Underlining their deep-rooted commitment to Iraq, the priests of the Chaldean Church in Iraq emphasized their enduring ties to the nation, tracing back thousands of years, and rejecting any doubts cast upon their loyalty and patriotism. They assert their entitlement to a position of prominence and refuse to be marginalized, dismissed, or constrained in their roles and capacities.
Expressing their discontent, the clerics criticized the treatment meted out to Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and the world, by the Iraqi presidency. They assert that this action is not just an affront to the patriarch's persona but an offense directed at the entire Chaldean and Christian community within Iraq.
The priests issued a call to both the Iraqi presidency and the federal government, urging them to rectify the mistake made against their patriarch. They demanded an apology for the slight inflicted upon him and all fellow Iraqi Christians. Furthermore, they pressed for the restoration of all rights and authorities to the patriarch, while seeking accountability for those responsible for precipitating this crisis.