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IRAQ: MGR. ANDRAOS ABOUNA, AUXILIARY BISHOP OF BAGHDAD, DIED

Mgr. Andraos Abouna, auxiliary bishop of Baghdad of the Chaldeans, died this morning in Ankawa. The news was given to SIR by the apostolic nuncio to Iraq and Jordan, mgr. Francis A. Chullikat. As reported to SIR by the patriarchal vicar of Baghdad, mgr. Shlemon Warduni, mgr. Abouna “had undergone, about two months ago, surgery of the kidneys from which he seemed to have recovered. One week ago he had a relapse. Yesterday afternoon, I went to Ankawa to see him with father Bashar Warda, archbishop of Arbil. As I did not see him well, we took him to the hospital, where he died this morning. His death is a great loss for the Iraqi Church. Mgr. Abouna was in charge of youth pastoral care. Now, let’s pray for the Lord to give us a new pastor”. The funeral will be held today in Ankawa, where the body will be buried and where the devotees, priests and bishops of the country are arriving. Mgr. Andraos Abouna was born in the village of Bedare/Zakho in 1943. He entered the seminary in Mosul in 1975 and was ordained priest in Baghdad on 5th June, 1966. He had been the parish priest of Basrah from 1967 to 1971 and parish priest of Baghdad from 1971 to 1991. From 1989 to 1991, he had been secretary of the then patriarch Raphael I Bidawid and since November 1991 he had been Head of the Mission for the Chaldean Devotees in London. On January 6th 2003, he was consecrated bishop by John Paul II. He had a diploma in journalism.

© SIR - 27 luglio 2010