On Tuesday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani welcomed Patriarch Mar Polis III Nona, the newly appointed Patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and the world, to the Kurdistan Region.

KRG Prime Minister Barzani visited the St. Joseph Chaldean Cathedral in Ankawa, where he was received by Patriarch Nona, along with a number of religious leaders, church authorities, and parliamentarians.

Prime Minister Barzani welcomed Patriarch Nona to the Kurdistan Region and congratulated him on assuming his new role. He expressed the KRG’s support for the success of his mission.

Patriarch Nona thanked Prime Minister Barzani for his visit and support, and praised the reforms undertaken by the KRG and the Prime Minister, describing him as “a man of action.”

On Monday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani also visited the Chaldean Cathedral of St. Joseph in Ankawa and congratulated Patriarch Nona on his appointment.

President Nechirvan Barzani emphasized that Christians are a vital and indigenous part of both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, playing a crucial role in the country’s history, present, and future. 

On June 14, the Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil welcomed Patriarch Nona at the beginning of his first pastoral visit to the Archdiocese following his election as Patriarch of the Chaldean Church.

During his visit, the Patriarch expressed his gratitude to the people of Ankawa and all the faithful who opened their homes and hearts during the years of displacement and hardship.

Read More: Kurdish Leaders Congratulate New Chaldean Patriarch

In April, Patriarch Nona was elected as the new Patriarch of the Chaldean Church. Nona, who previously served as the Archbishop in Mosul, replaced Patriarch Louis Sako, who stepped down in March.