|
Religion
Chaldeans belong to the Chaldean Rite of the Roman
Catholic Church. They were converted to Christianity by St.
Thomas the Apostle and his disciples Mar Addai and Mar Mari.
Later, in the 5th century, they espoused the Nestorian
doctrines until they were reunited with Rome in the 16th
century. Pope Eugene IV declared that all converted Nestorians would
henceforth be called Chaldeans, referring to past origins,
and entitled their religious leader as the "Patriarch of
Babylon of the Chaldeans" who now resides in Baghdad, Iraq.
The Patriarch, in union with Rome, is the head of the
Chaldean Catholic Church in all its extensions throughout the
world.
In the United States there are four Chaldean parishes in
the Detroit Area, four parishes in California and two
Chaldean parishes in Chicago. These American-Chaldean
parishes have been organized into a diocese entrusted to the
care of the most Reverend Mar Ibrahim Ibrahim, who has been
appointed by the Pope to oversee this diocese since 1982.
The bishop has his administrative center at the "Our Lady of
the Chaldeans" Cathedral in Southfield, Michigan. The
Chaldeans are strongly attached to their church, not only for
their spiritual guidance, but also as the nucleus of their
community.
![[A picture of Mother of God Church]](../../Images/mog.jpg)
Our Lady of the Chaldeans Cathedral
(Mother of God Parish)
Southfield, Michigan
Bishop Mar Ibrahim Ibrahim (third from left) with His Holiness Pope John
Paul II
|
