Chaldean Metropolitan Archdiocese of

Urmyā

Iran Iran

Continent: Central and Southwest Asia

Rite: Chaldean

Type: Metropolitan Archdiocese Metr. Archdiocese

Name: Urmyā / Rezayeh / Urmia / Urmien(sis) (Latin)

Suffragan Sees: Salmas

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

Website:

History

Present Prelates

Metropolitan Archbishop:vacant
Patriarchal Administrator (2024.01.06 – ...):Archbishop Imad Khoshaba Gargees (46)Archbishop Imad Khoshaba Gargees (46)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Tehran of the Chaldeans (Iran)

Patriarchal Administrator of Salmas of the Chaldeans (Iran)

Ordinaries

Metropolitan Archbishops of Urmyā (Chaldean Rite)

Archbishop Imad Khoshaba Gargees (46)Archbishop Imad Khoshaba Gargees (46)
(Patriarchal Administrator 2024.01.06 – ...)

Archbishop Thomas Meram (81)Archbishop Thomas Meram (81)
(1983.11.30 – 2024.01.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran)
Bishop emeritus of Salmas of the Chaldeans (Iran)

Born:1943.08.06 (Telkaif, Iraq)
Ordained Priest:1967.06.11
Consecrated Bishop:1984.03.11

Metropolitan Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1983.11.30 – 2024.01.06)

Bishop of Salmas of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1983.11.30 – 2024.01.06)

President of Iranian Episcopal Conference (2000 – 2003)

Patriarchal Administrator of Tehran of the Chaldeans (Iran) (2021.08 – 2023.09.26)

Archbishop Samuel Chauriz, O.S.H.
(1974.05.01 – 1981.06.14)

Born:1909.01.25 (Iraq)
Ordained Priest:1951.10.28
Consecrated Bishop:1972.05.14
Died:1981.06.14 († 72)

Archbishop of Ahvaz of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1972.01.18 – 1974.05.01)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1974.05.01 – 1981.06.14)

Bishop of Salmas of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1974.05.01 – 1981.06.14)

Archbishop Zaya Dachtou
(1951.07.14 – 1972.08.15)

Born:1912.10.12 (Iran)
Ordained Priest:1937.03.27
Consecrated Bishop:1951.12.30
Died:1972.08.15 († 59)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1951.07.14 – 1972.08.15)

Bishop of Salmas of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1951.07.14 – 1972.08.15)

Archbishop Abel Zayia, C.M.
(1939.12.06 – 1951.03.18)

Born:1871.02.03 (Iran)
Ordained Priest:1896.07.02
Consecrated Bishop:1940.01.01
Died:1951.03.18 († 80)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1939.12.06 – 1951.03.18)

Archbishop-Bishop of Salmas of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1939.12.06 – 1951.03.18)

Archbishop Isaac-Jesu-Yab Khoudabache
(1930.10.25 – 1939.08.08)

Born:1860.10.18
Ordained Priest:1887.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:1894.11.11
Died:1939.08.08 († 78)

Bishop of Salmas of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1894.10.01 – 1908)

Patriarchal Vicar of Jerusalem of the Chaldeans (Palestine) (1908 – 1927)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) ([1930.10.06] 1930.10.25 – 1939.08.08)

Bishop of Salmas of the Chaldeans (Iran) ([1930.10.06] 1930.10.25 – 1939.08.08)

Archbishop Tommaso Audo
(1892.09.04 – 1918.07.27)

Born:1854.10.10 (Iran)
Consecrated Bishop:1892.05.01
Died:1918.07.27 († 63)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1892.09.04 – 1918.07.27)

Archbishops of Urmyā (Chaldean Rite)

Archbishop Abraham
(1616? – 1647?)

Died:1647?

Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1616? – 1647?)

Archbishop Jesu-Yab
(1611? – 1616)

Died:1616

Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1611? – 1616)

Archbishop Joseph
(1589? – 1611)

Consecrated Bishop:1589
Died:1611

Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1589? – 1611)

Archbishop Jean
(1560? – ?)

Archbishop of Urmyā of the Chaldeans (Iran) (1560? – ?)

Special Churches

Erbil (↙), Kirkuk–Sulaimaniya (←), Salmas (↑), Tehran (→), Ahvaz (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Population: 1,000 Catholics

Pastoral Centres: 4 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 3 religious (1 brother, 2 sisters), 1 seminarian

Population

Pastoral Centres

Priests

Religious

Seminarians

Last updated on 2025.04.02

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