Chaldeans

:See Chaldean for other references.

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Chaldeans (Assryo-Chaldeans or Chaldo-Assyrians) are a Semitic people currently living in northern Iraq, southeastern Turkey, and northwestern Iran. Historically they were centered on the biblical city of Nineveh (present day Tel Kaif), located near Mosul, Iraq. They pre-date the Islamic conquest of the region, being descended from the original inhabitants of Mesopotamia known as Bet-Nahrain in Syriac. They speak a language known as Syriac, which is rooted in ancient Aramaic and uses the Syriac alphabet. Some 750,000 people speak this language in Iraq, with another 90,000 speakers living in the United States. Records show that "Assyrians" inhabited northern Mesopotamia while "Chaldeans" inhabited the southern Mesopotamia. Chaldeans are Christian, and are one of the first people to be converted to that religion by Thomas the apostle. All belonged to the Eastern Orthodox Church until 1552, when missionaries from Rome reunited their rite with Roman Catholicism. Those who remained with the Orthodox church refer to themselves as Assyrians, and later on the "Assyrian Church of the East" was formed after separating from the Assyrian Orthodox Church.

Related Topics:
Semitic - Iraq - Turkey - Iran - Nineveh - Tel Kaif - Mosul - Islamic - Mesopotamia - Bet-Nahrain - Syriac - Aramaic - Syriac alphabet - United States - Christian - Thomas the apostle - Eastern Orthodox Church - 1552 - Missionaries - Rome - Rite - Roman Catholicism - Assyrians

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The total population of Chaldo-Assyrians is estimated at four million worldwide. There are today some 90,000 living in the United States: 50,000 Chaldean Catholics, and the remainder belonging to the Assyrian Church of the East. Major populations of Chaldo-Assyrians are found around Detroit and San Diego, while Nestorian Assyrians are concentrated around Chicago and Los Angeles.

Related Topics:
Assyrian Church of the East - Detroit - San Diego - Chicago - Los Angeles

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