OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 1 February 2013 (VIS) – The Holy Father has granted the "Ecclesiastica Communio" requested of him in accordance with canon 76 para. 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches by His Beatitude Louis Raphael I Sako, canonically elected as Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans by the Synod of Bishops of that Church, meeting in Rome on 28 January.

The Synod of Bishops of the Chaldean Church, convoked by the Holy Father under the presidency of Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, canonically elected the Archbishop Louis Sako as Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans. The new Patriarch, previously archbishop of Kirkuk of the Chaldeans, Iraq, has chosen the name of Louis Raphael I Sako. He succeeds His Eminence Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly.