St. Joseph Cathedral Celebrates the Diaconal Ordination in the Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil

The Chaldean Archdiocese of Erbil celebrated the Diaconal Ordination (Readers and Subdeacons) during the Divine Liturgy held at St. Joseph Cathedral in Ankawa on Friday, 30 January 2026, at 10:30 a.m. The celebration was presided over by His Excellency Mar Bashar Warda, Archbishop of Erbil, in the presence of parish priests and a large number of the faithful.

During the celebration, twenty-five deacons, twenty readers, and thirteen subdeacons received ordination, following a three-month formation journey. This period included a series of spiritual and educational sessions on diaconal ministry and its biblical and pastoral dimensions. The formation program was supervised by Rev. Fr. Savio Handoula, with the participation of several priests, and aimed at fostering a deep ecclesial understanding of service and responsibility.

In his homily, His Excellency blessed the newly ordained and reflected on the martyrdom of Saint Stephen from the Acts of the Apostles:
“And all who sat in the council… saw his face like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15).
He emphasized that ecclesial service is a path of conformity to Christ the Servant, not a privilege or a title. The homily underscored that ordination is a call to serve both the altar and humanity, and that ecclesial ranks exist to organize and build up the Body of the Church rather than to distinguish degrees of dignity, since dignity is one and the call to holiness is one.

His Excellency further reflected on the liturgical rite as a living participation in the economy of salvation rather than a set of empty formalities. Each ministry, he noted, draws its meaning from the life of Jesus Christ Himself, who lived attentive listening to the Word, silent service, and total self-giving to the end. The figure of Saint Stephen the Deacon, Protomartyr of the Church, was presented as a model of authentic diaconal ministry—one that leads to witnessing to the truth through love and forgiveness, even amid suffering.

Addressing the readers, subdeacons, and deacons, His Excellency encouraged them to live their ministry with reverence and fidelity, and to allow their daily lives to become a silent testimony to the presence of God. He stressed that ministry is not measured solely by what is seen at the altar, but by what is lived in the heart, the home, and the public sphere.

Following the Divine Liturgy, all participants joined the deacons of the archdiocese for a fraternal agape meal on the occasion of the feast of Saint Stephen, Protomartyr and patron saint of deacons. The gathering reflected a spirit of ecclesial communion, linking what was celebrated at the altar with a lived experience of fellowship and mutual service, affirming that the diaconate begins at the Eucharist and is translated into living love within the community.