Catholics in Iraq follow several different rites, but in 2022, most (82%) are members of the Chaldean Catholic Church; about 17% belong to the Syrian Catholic Church, and the remainder are primarily Armenian, Greek and Latin-rite Catholics.

There has not been a census in Iraq since 2010, and there is no exact number of Christians in the country. Local leaders suggest that there were 150,000 Christians in 2022; however, other estimates suggested that there were 295,000 Catholics. All figures suggest that Catholics make up less than 1% of the country's population.

Catholic Church in Iraq

In 2020, there were 170 priests and 364 nuns serving across 143 parishes. In 2023, there are 15 currently active dioceses in Iraq and a Patriarchal See.

Catholic Church in Iraq

In 2019, the Archbishop of Erbil, in Kuridstan, warned that Catholicism and Christianity in general was in danger of becoming 'extinct' in Iraq due to persistent persecution from militant Islamic groups such as Daesh.

Catholic Church in Iraq

Pope Francis visited Iraq in March 2021.

In July 2023, Louis Sako, the Chaldean Catholic Patriarchate of Baghdad, announced that he would leave Baghdad for Iraqi Kurdistan after an ongoing dispute with the Iraqi government.

Dioceses and Eparchies

Armenian Catholic Archeparchy of Baghdad

Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Basra

Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Erbil

Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Kirkuk-Sulaimaniya

Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul

Chaldean Catholic Diocese of Alquoch

Chaldean Catholic Diocese of Aqrā

Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Amadiyah and Zaku

Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Baghdad

Chaldean Catholic Patriarchal See of Babylon

Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Iraq

Latin Catholic Archdiocese of Baghdad

Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Baghdad

Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul

Syriac Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Basra and the Gulf

See also

Religion in Iraq

Christianity in Iraq

Freedom of religion in Iraq

Latin Catholic Archdiocese of Baghdad

Catholic Church by country

References

External links

GCatholic.org

Catholic-Hierarchy

Iraq

Iraq