The move, announced by the Holy See Press Office on Tuesday, marks the final formal step in the succession of the largest Christian minority in Iraq.
The 58-year-old Patriarch, previously known as Amel Shamon Nona, was elected by the Chaldean Synod during their meeting in Rome earlier this month. He succeeds Cardinal Louis Raphaël I Sako, who resigned in March at the age of 77 after leading the church since 2013.
Patriarch Nona’s path to the leadership of the Assyrian church is one defined by both deep scholarship and the scars of modern conflict. Born in 1967 in Alqosh, Iraqi Assyria, Nona was ordained a priest in Baghdad in 1991. After earning a doctorate in Rome, he rose to prominence as the Archbishop of Mosul in 2010, becoming the youngest Catholic archbishop in the world at the time. His tenure in Mosul was cut short by the rise of the "Islamic State" (ISIS). In 2014, as genocidal militants advanced on the city, Nona was forced to flee alongside his flock, marking a tragic chapter for the ancient Assyrian Christian communities of the Nineveh Plains.
Barseen Oshana
Since 2015, Nona has served as the Archbishop of the Chaldean Diocese of Saint Thomas the Apostle in Sydney, Australia. His election marks a symbolic "return from exile" for the Iraqi church. As a significant portion of the churches followers now lives in Western countries such as Australia, the United States, and Germany, Nona is seen as a bridge between the traditional homeland and the growing diaspora.
In a letter confirming the election, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the need for "everyday holiness, honesty, and mercy." The Pope’s recognition of Nona comes at a delicate time for Iraq, where Assyrians continue to navigate a complex political and security landscape.
Patriarch Nona, who has chosen the name Paulis III (Paul III), is expected to take up residence in Baghdad shortly. His installation is scheduled for May 29, 2026.
In his first statements following the election, the new Patriarch called for unity and prayer. "The challenges facing our church are indeed great," he said, "but our faith is greater and stronger."
The Chaldean Catholic Church is an Assyrian Church in full communion with Rome, maintaining its own distinct Assyrian-language liturgy and traditions.
