All Major Rites are associated with one of the Episcopal Sees of the Roman Empire. Rome, Antioch, Constantinople, Alexandria and Jerusalem. The Chaldean Catholic Church head is named Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon. So the question is why the Chaldean Church associate itself with one of the 5 sees? Is the reason related to the Church being part of the persian empire at the time?
ealfred,
The Chaldean Church, and Assyrian Church, both as one Church historically known as the Church of the East, developed in the Parthian Empire, and later the Neo-Persian Empire (Sassanid Empire). The historical See of the Catholicos-Patriarch of this Church was the See of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, which later became known as the See of Babylon for the Catholic Patriarchs of the Assyrian-Chaldean Catholics.
The rite or tradition of this Church is known in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches as the Chaldean rite (see
Canon 28). It can also be called Assyrian rite, Assyro-Chaldean rite, Mesopotamian rite, East-Syriac rite, etc.
The Pentarchy (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem) were in the Roman Empire. We were associated with the Pentarchy in the sense of being in a bond of peace and communion with them, especially with regards the Pope of Rome in that we regard him as the first and head of all the Patriarchs. We also have drawn much wisdom from the Latin and Greek Fathers of these Churches, though our tradition has been primarily nourished by our Aramaic Fathers.
Early on, at the Synod of Mar Dadisho’ in 424, we fell out of communion when we declared our independence, and thus became isolated from the Great Body of the Catholic Church, but later on we came back into full communion with Rome and the Catholic Church, though some Assyrians remain separated.
I hope I have answered what you were asking. If there is anything more specific that you want to know, let me know.
God bless,
Rony
