John Sulaka

Nestorian patriarch

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

John Sulaka was a patriarch who led a group of Nestorians to reunite with the Roman Catholic Church in 1551. This marked the beginning of the Chaldean Catholic Church, an Eastern rite church that is prevalent in Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon.1

Nestorianism itself originated in Asia Minor and Syria, emphasizing the distinctness of Christ's divine and human natures, which led to its condemnation by ecumenical councils in the 5th century. Despite this, Nestorian communities persisted, particularly in Persia, and later spread to China, Central Asia, and India. The Church of the East, often referred to as the Assyrian or Nestorian Church, continues to exist today, with most members residing in Iraq, Syria, and Iran.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Chaldean Catholic Church
…1551, when the elected patriarch John Sulaka went to Rome and made his profession of the Catholic faith. From this period on, those Nestorians who became Catholics were referred to as Chaldeans. Other unions were realized in 1672, 1771, and 1778, the current unbroken line of “patriarchs of Babylonia” originating…
Read More
…1551, when the elected patriarch John Sulaka went to Rome and made his profession of the Catholic faith. From this period on, those Nestorians who became Catholics were referred to as Chaldeans. Other unions were realized in 1672, 1771, and 1778, the current unbroken line of “patriarchs of Babylonia” originating…
Read More

Chaldean rite
…of faith to Rome by John Sulaka, who was appointed patriarch of “Catholic Nestorians” by Pope Julius III in 1551. The successors of Sulaka later assumed the name Simon and bore the title of “Patriarch-Catholicos of Babylon of the Chaldeans.”
Read More
…of faith to Rome by John Sulaka, who was appointed patriarch of “Catholic Nestorians” by Pope Julius III in 1551. The successors of Sulaka later assumed the name Simon and bore the title of “Patriarch-Catholicos of Babylon of the Chaldeans.”
Read More