An Ezidi parliamentary delegation met with Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paulos III Nona at the Chaldean Patriarchate in Baghdad on 10 June, following his recent installation as head of the Chaldean Church.
The delegation included three Ezidi members of parliament, who congratulated the Patriarch on his new position and discussed relations between Ezidis and Christians in Iraq.
The meeting addressed the historical ties between Ezidis and the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian peoples, as well as the shared challenges they have faced in recent years. Both peoples suffered persecution, displacement, killings and massacres during the ISIS occupation of large parts of Iraq, including Mosul and Shigur (Sinjar).
The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and coordination in support of social stability and the protection of the legitimate rights of both peoples.
Patriarch Nona stressed the importance of solidarity and unified positions in serving Iraq and protecting its indigenous peoples. The Ezidi delegation praised his message of peaceful coexistence and highlighted the humanitarian role played by the Church in supporting displaced persons and people affected by Iraq’s crises.
The Ezidi delegation also extended a formal invitation to Patriarch Nona to visit Shigur (Sinjar) and meet with Ezidis there.
