Patriarch Emmanuel Delly of the Chaldean Church of Babylon in Iraq affirms the Aramean origin of the Iraqi Christians

Jacob of Sarug

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Aramean people: Aramean people (not to be confused with ‘Armenians’) speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Abraham, Moses and Jesus. They are the indigenous people of what was called in ancient times Aram- Nahrin, in our days it is called ‘Mesopotamia’.

Some Arameans today identify themselves with “Assyrians”, because of the spiritual colonial hate generating activities of the Western missionaries and diplomats in the Middle-East in 16th and 19th centuries. Other Arameans became known as “Chaldeans”. However all of them are Arameans.In Turkey, the Arameans are called: Süryani. In Arabic they are called Al- Suryan.

Patriarch Emmanuel Delly of the Chaldean Church of Babylon in Iraq affirms the Aramean origin of the Iraqi Christians

Ducth Version

Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly of the Chaldean Church

In a phone conversation with the crew of the popular Chaldean website “www.ankawa.com, the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church of Babylon, now in Rome for the annual meeting of the Catholic church, Mgr. Emmanuel III Delly, on 27th of October 2008 confirmed in no uncertain terms the Aramean origin for all the Iraqi Christians. He says, “...but I would like to state that we, the Chaldean, Assyrian and Syrian people are one people called Aramean” (See translation below)

http://www.ankawa.com/forum/index.php/topic,233591.msg3421260.html#msg3421260

The cardinal Mar Emmanuel Delly to our website (Ankawa.com)	الكاردينال مار دلي لموقعنا:
"I am a man of religion and I am not interfering in politics and we, in the church, don't ask for anything else apart from what our people want and decide on"	أنني رجل دين ولا أتدخل في السياسة ونحن في الكنيسة لا نطالب بشيء إلا ما يريده ويقرره شعبنا من الحقوق
In a phone call with our website (Ankawa) the cardinal mar Emanuel Delly stated the sfollowing:	في مكالمة تلفونية مع موقعنا ادلى الكاردينال مار عمانويل دلي التصريح التالي لموقعنا:
Cardinal mar Emanuel III Delly, Patriarch of the Chaldean church in Iraq and the world, thanks everyone who helped and supported our people inside and outside Iraq, in order to spread to love, brotherhood, tolerance and security must prevail in our dear country.	يقدم الكاردينال مار عمانويل الثالث دلي، بطريرك الكنيسة الكلدانية في العراق و العالم، جزيله شكره الى كل من قدم يد المساعدة والعون الى شعبنا داخل العراق وخارجه لكي تسود المحبة والاخوة و التسامح والامن بلدنا العزيز.
I would like to state that I am a man of church, who is not interferring in politics, and that everything I do is to spread love, peace, brotherhood values and forgiveness.	أود التأكيد أنني رجل دين ولا أتدخل في السياسة، وكل ما أعمله هو نشر المحبة والسلام وقيم الأخوة والتسامح،
And I am absolutely against using the church to be exploited and involved in politics. And I ask, from Rome, the place I am currently for treatment, for security and peace be restored in our dear country Iraq	وأرفض رفضا قاطعا أستغلال الكنيسة وزجها في السياسة، وأنا من مكاني حيث أرقد الان في المستشفى للعلاج بروما، اصلي كي يعود الأمن والسلام على عراقنا العزيز.
The Lord will reward those people who are working in the government , day and night, for the best of Iraq and for its wealth of all citizens, wherever they were, in Baghdad, Mosel and in all other areas.	الرب سيكافئ المسؤولين والحكومة في العراق الذين يعملون ليلا ونهارا من اجل خير العراق وسلامة مواطنيه جميعا ان كانوا في بغداد او الموصل، وكل المناطق الآخرى على حد سواء.
Concerning the request of our people we in the church don't ask for anything except our people's rights, *but I would like to state that we, the Chaldean, Assyrian and Syrian people are one people known as Aramean people*.	وبالنسبة الى مطالب شعبنا فنحن في الكنيسة لا نطالب بشيء إلا ما يريده ويقرره شعبنا من الحقوق، لكن أؤكد أننا الكلدان الآشوريين السريان شعب واحد يسمى بالشعب الآرامي.
Let Iraq continue to live with all its ethnic groups, Arabs, Kurds, Arameans, Yazidie' s, Mandeans, and Shabak.	ليعش العراق بكافة قومياته عربا وكردا وأراميين وأيزيديين وصابئة وشبك
May God bless them	باركهم الله
The Patriarch mar Emanuel III Delly, Rome	البطريرك مار عمانؤيل الثالث دلي روما

West- and East- Arameans

At the early beginning of Christianity, the Aramean nation geographically was divided as East- and West- Arameans. The river the Euphrates in general served as the border. Thus those living east of Euphrates, roughly speaking Iran, were called East- Arameans. And those living at the West of Euphrates were called West- Arameans.

The East- Arameans became also known as “Nestorians”. In 1552 a part of the East- Aramean “Nestorians” joined the Roman Catholic Church, after which they were called “Chaldeans” as a geographical reference to the Chaldean Empire of antiquity. Their Church become known as “The Chaldean Church of Babylon” of which currently Mgr. Emmanuel Delly is the Patriarch.

The remaining part of the East- Aramean Nestorians who did not join the Roman Catholic Church, continued to call themselves as “Suryaye” or “Syrians” until 1840 when they got in contact with the Protestants and Anglican missionaries. Under the influence of the Anglican bishop of Canterbury they first became known as “Christians of (geographical) Assyria”, and later as “Assyrian Christians”, a religious name which they now try to use as a national name. In 1976 the name of the East- Syrian Nestorians Church has been changed into “Apostolic Assyrian Catholic Church”.

We welcome the clear statement of Mgr. Emmanuel Delly regarding the origin of our nation which is perfectly in agreement with the testimonies of the brilliant historians of the Syrian Church of Antioch.

We hope that Patriarch Dinkha of the “Nestorian” East- Syrian Church and the Patriarch Addai of the Church of the East will soon follow the example Mgr. Emmanuel Delly and will also affirm the Aramean origin of all the Iraqi Christians.

Patriarch Mar Dinkha and Mar Addai

Patriarch Mar Addia II of The Ancient Church of the East

Baghdad

Patriarch Mar Dinkha of the East- Syrian "Nestorian" Church (after 1976 called "Assyrian" Catholic Apostolic Church)

Chicago (US)

We hope that the Catholicos- Patriarch Mar Dinkha of the East-Syrian "Nestorian" Church and Patriarch Mar Addai II of the Ancient Church of the East will soon follow the example of Mgr. Emmanuel Delly and affirm the Aramean origin of all Iraqi Christians and with that to make for ever an end to the national division of the Aramean nation which was caused by colonial intrigues in the Middle-East.

Aramean Christian denominations in Iraq

West- Aramean Syrian Orthodox
West- Aramean Syrian Catholics
West- Aramean Syrian Melkites
East- Aramean Syrian Nestorian “Chaldeans
East- Aramean Syrian Nestorian “Assyrians”

The East- Aramean Syrian Nestorian "Assyrians" are divided among two churches: the former East- Syrian "Nestorian" Church (after 1976 called "Assyrian" Church), whose patriarch is Mar Dinkha and resides in Chicago and The Ancient Church of the East (since 1968), whose patriarch is Mar Addia II and resides in Baghdad.

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