“Don’t forget the Christians of the Middle East.” The appeal of Louis Raphael Sako, Chaldean patriarch of Baghdad, is, at the same time, a request for “prayers and concrete help. Something must be done for our Christians who are here. They are leaving the country. We don’t have and don’t want weapons, we don’t have militias, we would just like to live in peace, but we are a very easy target, we have no protection». The patriarch, who had already resigned upon turning 75 with Pope Francis, “who however had asked me to stay for another two years”, renewed them in recent days. «No one put pressure on me, there is no backstory», explains Sako, «it was just time for a successor». The patriarch’s resignation due to age comes at one of the dramatic moments in Iraq’s history. «We are on the edge of the abyss across the Middle East. In Lebanon the situation is terriblewith hundreds of thousands of displaced people on the streets, with a winter that is still very cold, but here too there is almost a world war.”
In saying goodbye to his diocese, after leading it for 13 years, the patriarch made it clear that he now wants to dedicate himself “with tranquility to prayer, writing and simple service”. These years have not been easy, with the advance of ISIS, the capture of Mosul, the destruction of cities and villages. «I have led the Chaldean Church in extremely difficult circumstances and great challenges», he wanted to put in black and white in a letter addressed to the faithful. «I have preserved the unity of its institutions and I have spared no effort in defending it and defending the rights of Iraqis and Christians, taking positions and maintaining a presence both inside and outside the country». He thanks the family and “those with whom I lived as a priest in Mosul, as a bishop in Kirkuk and as a patriarch in Baghdad” and God “for the grace of love he has given me, granting me affection in the eyes of many and blessing me with beautiful moments”.
About his successor he says: «I hope that the leadership of the Chaldean Church is entrusted to a patriarch who possesses a solid theological culture, courage and wisdom. To someone who believes in renewal, openness and dialogue, and who also has a sense of humor.
I will respect him and will never interfere in his work. I am sure that God will take care of his Church.” In leaving office, the patriarch also mentions his will, written when he was a young priest and revised several times. “I own about forty million Iraqi dinars,” he writes, equal to approximately five thousand euros, «coming from my salaries during 52 years of priestly serviceplus another sum representing my share from the sale of the family home in Mosul. I don’t own a house or a car, but my true wealth is my devoted service and the 45 books and numerous articles I have published.”
