Christian denominations in Iraq

Iraq hosts several ancient Christian communities but they now number only around 250,000 people, down from a population of some 1.5 million before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003


TURKEY
SYRIA 
Mosul
Nineveh Plains
IRAQ
Baghdad
SAUDI ARABIA
Controlled by Kurdish forces
IRAN
100km 60 miles

Most Christians now live in Baghdad, Nineveh Plains and Kurdistan region

IRAQI CHRISTIANS
Chaldean: 80%
Syriacs: 10% 
Assyrians: 5% 
Armenians: 3% 
Arab Christians: 2%


CHALDEANS

Descended from ancient Mesopotamians, Chaldeans are Eastern-rite Catholics who are autonomous from Rome but recognise authority of Pope

Chaldean Church, based in Baghdad, is headed by Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako (above)


SYRIACS

Trace ancestry to ancient Mesopotamia. Most are Catholics but some are also Orthodox. Majority live in Nineveh Plains

Syriac Catholic Church is based in Lebanon, Syriac Orthodox Church is based in Syria


ASSYRIANS

Descendants of ancient empires of Assyria and Babylonia. Embraced Christianity in 1st Century AD, with Ancient Church of the East – based in Baghdad – believed to be oldest such community in Iraq

Some fled to Iraq after massacres by Ottoman army in World War I


ARMENIANS

History of Armenians in Iraq dates to late Babylonian times. Many fled to Iraq following Armenian genocide of 1915 by Ottoman forces. Speak Armenian

Most are Orthodox, some are Catholic


OTHERS

Include Arab Christians and small communities of Greek Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and Protestants

Some Chaldeans, Syriacs and Assyrians still speak form of Aramaic – language spoken
by Jesus


Sources: Iraqi Christian Foundation / 2019 U.S. State Department 
Report on Iraq religious freedoms, Reuters, BBC 
Pictures: Newscom, Getty Images 
© GRAPHIC NEWS