Patriarch Ignatius Nona celebrates Mass in Södertälje, Sweden

Chaldean Catholic Patriarch Mar Paulinus III Nona celebrated Mass at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Södertälje on October 29, 2026. The faithful welcomed the Patriarch with a reception led by Bishop Mar Sa'ad Serup and Bishop Mar Azad Sabri. The Patriarch noted that this church has been the first Chaldean-owned church in Sweden since 2017.

During his address to the congregation, Patriarch Nona stated that the Chaldean community in Sweden is one of the largest in Europe. He told the community that they are not guests of European Christianity but instead bring an Eastern faith and the language of Christ to the continent.

The Patriarch expressed gratitude to the community for maintaining their Eastern identity and faith while living abroad. He described the preservation of faith in a diaspora as a conscious daily choice made by each generation. He noted that while the community faced the trial of fear in the East, they now face the challenge of comfort and distraction in the West. He emphasized that Chaldean language and liturgical rites serve as living vessels for transmitting faith to future generations.