US embassy cable - 04VATICAN2989

UNCLAS VATICAN 002989 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LEVIN; NEA/RA; NEA/NGA;DRL/IRF ABRAMSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IZ, KIRF, PHUM, PREL, SOCI, VT, terrorism 
SUBJECT: POPE CONDEMNS IRAQ CHURCH BOMBINGS; CHALDEAN 
CATHOLICS "DIDN'T SEE IT COMING" 
 
1.  (U)  The Pope reacted strongly to Sunday's Iraq church 
bombings in an August 2 message to Emmanuel III, Patriarch of 
Iraq's Chaldean Catholic Church.  The Pope said that he 
"firmly deplored the unjust aggressions against those whose 
only aim is to collaborate for peace and reconciliation in 
the country."  He added that he felt close to Iraqi Catholics 
in their hour of suffering, which the statement said was made 
even more grave because the attacks took place while the 
faithful were gathered for prayer.  The Pope expressed his 
hope that "all believers in one merciful God (would) unite in 
deploring every form of violence." 
 
2.  (SBU)  Monsignor Philip Najim, representative of the 
Chaldean Church to the Holy See, told us August 2 that the 
Chaldeans "didn't see (Sunday's violence) coming."  Though 
Najim and others had warned recently of increased animosity 
towards Christians on the part of Muslims (septel), Najim 
said few thought it would erupt into the wholesale attacks 
seen Sunday.  "These are definitely not Iraqis," Najim 
insisted.  "We have never had these problems in Iraq before. 
 
3.  (SBU)  Najim said that one of the targets was the 
Patriarchal Seminary located next to a Chaldean parish.  The 
parish was hosting a prayer service in preparation for the 
Catholic Feast of the Assumption August 15, so the victim 
toll was high.  Najim said he had spoken to some monks 
attached to the seminary, who said they thought the death 
toll would be higher than media estimates.  Najim had not yet 
been able to reach the Patriarch by phone, and was about to 
visit the Vatican to consult with officials there. 
 
4.  (SBU)  Chaldean Catholics form the majority of Iraq's 
Christian population, some 750,000 people or 3 percent of the 
population.  Well over 65,000 Chaldean Catholics live in the 
U.S., organized through a diocese headquartered in Detroit. 
Najim noted that the Chaldean Church, which suffered 
massacres of some 70,000 during World War I, was called "The 
Church of the Martyrs."  He was shaken after the bombings, 
and worried that the attacks would spur a further exodus of 
Christians from Iraq. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
 
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 2004VATICA02989 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED