FM Fuad Hussein Attends Mass for the Ecclesiastical Communion of the New Chaldean Patriarch

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Fuad Hussein, accompanied by his delegation, attended the Holy Mass held on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, marking the declaration of ecclesiastical communion with His Beatitude Mar Paul III Nona, the new Patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and the world.

The Mass was presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Dean of the College of Cardinals, on behalf of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.

The occasion coincided with the tenth anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love). The Foreign Minister had been scheduled to meet His Holiness Pope Leo XIV; however, the meeting could not take place due to the Pope’s unexpected hospitalisation.

The Foreign Minister’s participation reflects the Republic of Iraq’s commitment to strengthening its relations with the Holy See, supporting the values of peace and interfaith dialogue, and consolidating the principles of peaceful coexistence, in a manner that reflects the religious and cultural diversity that characterises Iraqi society.

Following the conclusion of the Mass, the Foreign Minister met with members of the Iraqi Chaldean community who had travelled from Iraq and various countries around the world. He expressed his gratitude and appreciation for their participation in this religious occasion and underscored the importance of maintaining the bonds that connect members of the community with their homeland, Iraq.