SW News: In what is seen as a significant development, the Holy See has approved the change in nomenclature of the Chaldean Patriarchate. As per the Press Office of the Vatican, Pope Francis ratified the change of the title ‘Patriarchate of Babylon of the Chaldeans’ to the Patriarchate of Baghdad of the Chaldeans’ on February 19.

It was Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako who requested the pontiff to allow the change in title that was decided during the Synod of Chaldean Bishops in Baghdad. When the bishops met for the synod last year from August 9 to 14, they took the unanimous decision to stop using the title "Patriarchate of Babylon of the Chaldeans" and instead use "Chaldean Patriarchate".

However, the decision stoked criticism from many quarters. For instance, the Chaldean Writers’ Union came out with an online note saying that although it is a synodal decision, the change questions “a legacy to which we are proud to belong”.

The synodal provision provoked criticism and controversial reactions. The Chaldean Writers' Union also published an online note in which it states that, despite being a synodal decision, it questions "a legacy to which we are proud to belong".

The patriarchate issued a statement saying that although Babylon was the capital of the Babylonian empire, it was never the seat of a bishop or the headquarters of a patriarch, adding that it is a totally Muslim city today. Therefore, the old title has no historical foundation.

It was in the 16th century that a segment of the Assyrian Church of the East pledged allegiance to the Holy Father and reaffirmed full unity. It was in 1724 that the then Patriarch Youssef III inserted the word ‘Babylon’ into the title of Chaldean Patriarch while residing in Diyarbakir in modern-day Turkey.

Today, the Patriarchate of Baghdad counts 200,000 believers spread across 15 parishes. They are taken care of spiritually by 15 priests and three permanent deacons. There are 12 seminarians, one member of a male religious institute and 114 nuns. The Patriarchate also has 12 educational institutes.