Emmanuel III Delly

Emmanuel III Delly (in Arabic مار عمانوئيل الثالث دلّي ) is the Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans and Primate of the Chaldean Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic sui juris particular church of the Catholic Church and a Cardinal. He was born on October 6, 1927 in Tel Keppe and was ordained a priest on December 21, 1952. He was ordained a bishop ten years later in December 1962 at the age of 35. He has been the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church since December 3, 2003. He replaced Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid †. He was created a Cardinal Bishop on November 24, 2007.
His patriarchate in Iraq came at a fairly difficult time period. Before he became Patriarch he had been accidentally injured by shattered glass in an attack. Hence he has been strongly concerned about the security situation there. Although optimistic about the Iraqi elections he has expressed criticisms about upsurges in violences against Christians. He has taken efforts to improve the population's morale, maintain friendly relations with Islamic leaders, improve safety, and work for the release of kidnapping victims.
==Work==
Since his election as Patriarch in December 2003, Mar Emmanuel III Delly has continued to work for the Chaldean Church. In Iraq, the Chaldean Church, which is the largest Christian Group, consists of eight dioceses totaling 100 parishes and approximately 600,000 people. Additionally, there are another eight dioceses outside of Iraq, in countries including Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Europe, Australia, Canada and the U.S. It is estimated that the Chaldean population is over one and a half million devotees worldwide.
Mar Emmanuel III Delly is well known for his respect and cooperation with directors of other churches and faiths, mainly Muslims.Iraqi cardinal-to-be says he is symbol of national unity http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20071123/twl-vatican-pope-iraq-3cd7efd_1.html Mar Emmanuel III Delly acts as a spiritual father, not only to the whole Chaldean Church, now scattered all over the world, but to all Christians in Iraq, especially in these times of great hardships.
During his 42 years as a bishop, Mar Emmanuel III Delly's contributions to the Chaldean Church include building of many churches in and outside of Iraq. This includes the establishment of the College of Babylon, as a philosophy and theology institution. Also, he spiritually supervises the Chaldean monasteries and convents. Mar Emmanuel III Delly oversees several Chaldean religious journals and publications. He is well known for his administrative abilities and love of his people.
On October 17, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would make Mar Emmanuel III Delly a Cardinal. Delly was elevated to the College of Cardinals in the consistory at St. Peter's Basilica on November 24, 2007."Pope elevates new cardinals, expresses solidarity with Iraqi Christians", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), November 23, 2007. Pope Benedict XVI said on this occasion that by naming Emmanuel III Delly cardinal, he was demonstrating his "spiritual closeness and [his] affection" for Iraqi Christians.
==Educational degrees==
*Master's Degree in Philosophy, Pontifical Urbaniana University.Carol Glatz, Pope acknowledges Iraq's beleaguered Catholics by naming cardinal. Catholic News Service, Oct. 17, 2007. The article mentions that the philosophy degree is a master's degree, but the degree given at the Urbaniana is a license. Pontifical Urbaniana University—Faculty of Philosophy—Program of Studies (accessed Nov. 13, 2007). Thesis: ""The Existence of God according to Abu Nasr Al-Farabi" Frederik Pleitgen and Saad Abedine. CNN.com. http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/19/iraq.christians/ Keeping Christianity Alive
*Doctor of Sacred Theology, Pontifical Lateran University.
*Doctor of Canon Law, Pontifical Lateran University.
==Languages==
Mar Emmanuel III Delly speaks Chaldean Neo-Aramaic, Syriac, Arabic, French, Italian, Latin, and English fluently.Gamel, Kim. "Chaldean Patriarch Seeks Ties to Muslims", Associated Press, October 30, 2007.
==Episcopal lineage==
==References==
==External links==
*2004 Interview
*Catholic Hierarchy.org
*GigaCatholic Website
Category:1927 births
Category:Living people
Category:21st-century Roman Catholic archbishops
Category:Eastern Catholic bishops
Category:Iraqi Eastern Catholics
Category:Church patriarchs
Category:Chaldean Catholic Patriarchs of Babylon
Category:People from Tel Keppe
Category:Iraqi cardinals
Category:Iraqi archbishops
Category:Assyrian people
Category:Cardinals created by Pope Benedict XVI
ar:عمانوئيل الثالث دلي
arc:ܡܪܝ ܥܡܢܘܐܝܠ ܬܠܝܬܝܐ ܕܠܝ
de:Emmanuel III. Delly
es:Manuel III Delly
fr:Emmanuel III Karim Delly
it:Emmanuel III Delly
la:Emmanuel III Delly
nl:Emmanuel III Delly
no:Emmanuel III Delly
pl:Emanuel Karim III Delly
pt:Emmanuel III Delly
ru:Делли, Эммануэль III
sv:Emmanuel III Delly