Archeparchy of Mosul

Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul

The Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul (Latin: Mausiliensis Chaldaeorum) is an Eastern sui juris (autonomous) particular church of the Roman Catholic Church, located in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. The diocese comprises the city of Mosul. The territory is subdivided in 12 parishes. The diocese of Mosul was elevated to Archeparchy of Mosul on February 14, 1967 by Pope Paul VI. The ordinary was Mar Paulos Faraj Rahho until his death in early 2008, and the Papal Nuncio is His Excellency, Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, whose Apostolic Nunciature is the entire state of Iraq.

Archbishop

The archeparchy is led by the prelature of an archbishop, concurrently the pastor of St. Paul's Cathedral. The cathedral was the target of a bombing on December 7, 2004, leaving the building badly damaged. The bishop's residence was a modern two story building that housed the archbishopric, which was 10 km away from the cathedral. The bishopric was built and inaugurated in 1995 by His Excellency, the late Mar George Garmo. It was destroyed on August 12, 1995 by five attackers who ransacked the building after forcing everyone to leave and loading the building with dynamite. Late on February 29 2008, according to a report given by the Catholic News Service, Archbishop Rahho was kidnapped from his car; his bodyguards and driver were killed. On 13 March 2008, it was reported that the Archbishop's body had been found buried near Mosul.