Joseph II (Chaldean Patriarch)

Mar Joseph II Sliba Maruf (or Youssef II Sliba Bet Macruf) was the second incumbent of the Josephite line of Church of the East, a little patriarchate in Full Communion with the pope active in the areas of Amid and Mardin in the 17th-19th century, thus being the Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church from 1696 to 1713.
==Life==
Sliba Maruf was born in 1667 in Tel Keppe, Iraq, received first orders at fourteen and was consecrated bishop, without the previous consent of Rome, at the age of 24 in 1691 by Joseph I. He was chosen by Joseph I as his successor in 1694, but this appointment became effective only when Rome accepted his predecessor resignation in 1696. Thus Sliba Maruf was confirmed patriarch by Holy See on June 18, 1696, with the name of Joseph II.
As happened for Joseph I, his ministry had to face the strong opposition of the traditionalists. This forced him in 1708 to ask permission to Rome to resign and move to Italy, a request that was not granted. 
During the plague that spreaded from 1708 he distinguish himself for the help and the pastoral care he offered to the sicks until he too was infected.
Early in 1713 he choose as successor Timothy Maroge and died of plague a few months later in 1713 (or according other sources in 1712) at the age of 46.
==Works==
Joseph is remembered as Syriac and Arab writer and for having translated many texts from Latin. His Speculum tersum (Book of the pure Mirror) was translated from Syriac into Latin by I. A. Assemani and is conserved in the Vatican LibraryVatican Library, segn. Borg.lat.177.
==Notes==
Category:Assyrian people
Category:Chaldean Catholic Patriarchs of Babylon
Category:1667 births
Category:1713 deaths
de:Joseph II. (Chaldäisch-katholischer Patriarch)