Saintapedia

Iraq

Stored: Iraq

Country: Iraq
Historic:
Existence: –
Continent: Asia
Region: Middle East
Historical Region:
Area: 438317 km²
Population: 44000000
Catholic Population: 300000
Catholic Percentage: 0.7%
Catholicism Status: Small minority religion, Islamic state
Official Languages: Arabic, Kurdish
Capital: Baghdad
Catholicism Introduced: 1st century AD
Ecclesiastical Provinces: 1
Dioceses: 10
Patron Saints: Saint Thomas the Apostle
Predecessor States:
Successor States:


Iraq is a Middle Eastern nation, covering approximately 438,317 km² with a population of about 44 million as of 2025.[1] Its official languages are Arabic and Kurdish, and its economy relies on oil, agriculture, and reconstruction efforts. The Catholic Church, with approximately 300,000 adherents (0.7% of the population), is a small minority religion, ranking third after Islam (95%) and other Christian denominations (3%), introduced in the 1st century AD through early Christian communities.[2] Catholicism shapes Iraq’s minority Christian culture through education, charity, and the patronage of Saint Thomas the Apostle.[3]

The Church, with one ecclesiastical province and 10 dioceses, has a limited presence, mainly in Baghdad and Erbil, and faces severe challenges from Iraq’s Islamic state policies, ongoing conflict, and Christian emigration.[4] Sites like the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Baghdad serve as spiritual hubs for the shrinking Catholic community.[5]

Saints

Birthplace

Parameter received: Iraq

Iraq
SaintName SaintBirthPlace
Saint James Intercisus Beth Huzaye, Persia (now Iraq)

Death place

Parameter received: Iraq

Iraq

No saints found with death place matching Iraq.

Notable locations

Parameter received: Iraq

Iraq

No saints found with Notable Address 1 matching Iraq.


Parameter received: Iraq

Iraq
SaintName NotableAddress2
Saint James Intercisus Qaraqosh, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq


Parameter received: Iraq

Iraq

No saints found with Notable Address 3 matching Iraq.


Parameter received: Iraq

Iraq
SaintName NotableAddress4
Saint James Intercisus Al-Tahira Church, Qaraqosh, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq


Parameter received: Iraq

Iraq

No saints found with Notable Address 5 matching Iraq.

Geography

Iraq is located in the Middle East, bordered by Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and the Persian Gulf.[6] Its 438,317 km² includes the Mesopotamian plains, Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and Zagros Mountains, with a mostly arid climate. Major cities like Baghdad (the capital), Mosul, and Erbil host Catholic communities, with historical Christian sites in the Nineveh Plains. Conflict and insecurity severely limit Church outreach.[7]

History

Iraq’s history includes ancient Mesopotamian civilizations, Islamic conquest in 637 AD, Ottoman rule (1534–1918), British Mandate (1920–1932), and independence in 1932, followed by conflicts including the Iraq War (2003–2011) and ISIS insurgency (2014–2017).[8] Catholicism was introduced in the 1st century AD, traditionally by Saint Thomas the Apostle, with Chaldean Catholic and Syriac Catholic communities forming early Christian centers.[9] The Church has faced persecution since the 2003 invasion, with significant Christian emigration due to violence and instability.[10]

Predecessor states

Iraq’s territory was part of ancient Sumer, Akkad, Babylon, and the Abbasid Caliphate.[11] The Ottoman Empire (1534–1918) and the British Mandate of Mesopotamia (1920–1932) directly preceded modern Iraq.[12] Catholic communities, particularly Chaldean Catholics, thrived under Ottoman rule, with missions supported by Dominicans in the 19th century.[13]

Successor states

The Republic of Iraq, established in 1958, has no direct successor states, as it remains a unified nation despite internal conflicts and Kurdish autonomy movements.[14] The Catholic Church supports humanitarian efforts and advocates for Christian rights in an Islamic-majority state.[15]

Demographics

Iraq’s 44 million people include 0.7% Catholics (300,000), 95% Muslims (60% Shia, 35% Sunni), 3% other Christians (mostly Assyrian Orthodox), and 1% others.[16] Ethnic groups are Arab (75%), Kurdish (20%), and Assyrian (2%). Catholicism is concentrated in Baghdad, Erbil, and the Nineveh Plains, with Chaldean Catholics and Syriac Catholics predominant.[17]

Catholic church

The Catholic Church in Iraq comprises one ecclesiastical province, 10 dioceses (Chaldean, Syriac, Latin, and Armenian rites), and about 100 parishes, led by the Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate and other hierarchs.[18] Leaders like Patriarch Louis Raphaël Sako oversee humanitarian aid and pastoral care. The Church operates schools and clinics, struggling amid conflict and emigration.[19]

Structure

The Church’s single province includes multiple rites.[20]

Introduction of Catholicism

Catholicism was introduced in the 1st century AD, traditionally by Saint Thomas the Apostle, with Chaldean Catholic communities emerging from the Church of the East.[21] The Chaldean Catholic Church, united with Rome in 1553, and Syriac Catholic Church, united in 1783, formalized the Catholic presence.[22]

Key historical events

The 1st-century evangelization by Saint Thomas the Apostle marked Catholicism’s entry.[23] The 1553 Chaldean union with Rome established the Chaldean Catholic Church.[24] The 2021 visit of Pope Francis to Iraq, including Mosul and Qaraqosh, boosted Catholic morale.[25]

Catholicism status

Catholicism, with 0.7% adherence, is a small minority religion in an Islamic state under the 2005 Constitution, which privileges Islam.[26] The Church faces persecution, church attacks, and emigration, particularly post-2003 and during the ISIS occupation.[27]

Cultural influence

Festivals and traditions

Catholics celebrate feasts like Saint Thomas the Apostle (July 3) with liturgies in Baghdad.[28] Chaldean Catholic traditions, including Aramaic liturgies, persist despite war disruptions.[29]

Education and charity

The Church operates a few schools and clinics, primarily in Baghdad and Erbil.[30] Caritas Iraq provides aid to displaced families, aligning with Catholic Social Teaching.[31]

Art and architecture

Catholic heritage is evident in churches like Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Baghdad, built in 1951.[32] Ancient churches in Qaraqosh feature Chaldean iconography.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iraq’s Catholic History |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/iraq-catholic-church |publisher=Encyclopedia.com |date=2003-

  1. ↑ "Iraq". CIA World Factbook. 2024-12-01. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/. 
  2. ↑ "Religion in Iraq". Wikipedia. 2024-06-15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Iraq. 
  3. ↑ "Catholicism in Iraq". Catholics & Cultures. 2020-06-15. https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/iraq. 
  4. ↑ "Catholic Dioceses in Iraq". GCatholic.org. 2025-01-22. http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/country/IQ.htm. 
  5. ↑ "Iraq’s Catholic Church". Vatican News. 2022-07-10. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2022-07/iraq-catholic-church-conflict.html. 
  6. ↑ "Iraq". CIA World Factbook. 2024-12-01. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/iraq/. 
  7. ↑ "Catholicism in Iraq". Catholics & Cultures. 2020-06-15. https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/iraq. 
  8. ↑ "Iraq". Britannica. 2024-10-15. https://www.britannica.com/place/Iraq. 
  9. ↑ "Catholic Encyclopedia: Mesopotamia". New Advent. 1913-01-01. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10210b.htm. 
  10. ↑ "Iraq’s Catholic History". Encyclopedia.com. 2003-01-01. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/iraq-catholic-church. 
  11. ↑ "Ancient Mesopotamia". Britannica. 2024-10-15. https://www.britannica.com/place/Mesopotamia. 
  12. ↑ "British Mandate of Mesopotamia". Encyclopedia.com. 2003-01-01. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/british-mandate-mesopotamia. 
  13. ↑ "Iraq’s Catholic History". Encyclopedia.com. 2003-01-01. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/iraq-catholic-church. 
  14. ↑ "Iraq". Britannica. 2024-10-15. https://www.britannica.com/place/Iraq. 
  15. ↑ "Iraq’s Catholic Church". Vatican News. 2022-07-10. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2022-07/iraq-catholic-church-conflict.html. 
  16. ↑ "Religion in Iraq". Pew Research Center. 2020-04-15. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2020/04/15/religion-in-iraq/. 
  17. ↑ "Catholicism in Iraq". Catholics & Cultures. 2020-06-15. https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/iraq. 
  18. ↑ "Catholic Dioceses in Iraq". GCatholic.org. 2025-01-22. http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/country/IQ.htm. 
  19. ↑ "Catholic Education in Iraq". Catholic News Agency. 2022-08-15. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/25040/catholic-schools-iraq. 
  20. ↑ "Catholic Dioceses in Iraq". GCatholic.org. 2025-01-22. http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/country/IQ.htm. 
  21. ↑ "Catholic Encyclopedia: Mesopotamia". New Advent. 1913-01-01. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10210b.htm. 
  22. ↑ "Iraq’s Catholic History". Encyclopedia.com. 2003-01-01. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/iraq-catholic-church. 
  23. ↑ "Catholic Encyclopedia: Mesopotamia". New Advent. 1913-01-01. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10210b.htm. 
  24. ↑ "Chaldean Catholic Church". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. 2024-09-10. http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dbaby.html. 
  25. ↑ "Pope Francis in Iraq". Vatican. 2021-03-05. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/travels/2021/outside/documents/papa-francesco-iraq-2021.html. 
  26. ↑ "Religion in Iraq". Pew Research Center. 2020-04-15. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2020/04/15/religion-in-iraq/. 
  27. ↑ "Iraq’s Catholic Church". Vatican News. 2022-07-10. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2022-07/iraq-catholic-church-conflict.html. 
  28. ↑ "Catholicism in Iraq". Catholics & Cultures. 2020-06-15. https://www.catholicsandcultures.org/iraq. 
  29. ↑ "Iraq’s Catholic Church". Vatican News. 2022-07-10. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2022-07/iraq-catholic-church-conflict.html. 
  30. ↑ "Catholic Education in Iraq". Catholic News Agency. 2022-08-15. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/25040/catholic-schools-iraq. 
  31. ↑ "Caritas Iraq". Caritas Internationalis. 2024-02-10. https://www.caritas.org/where-caritas-work/middle-east-north-africa/iraq/. 
  32. ↑ "Cathedral of Saint Joseph". Britannica. 2024-10-15. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cathedral-of-Saint-Joseph-Baghdad. 
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