With deep sorrow and great sadness, the General Directorate of Syriac Culture and Arts — represented by its General Director, staff, and employees — mourns the passing of the late Bishop Mar Paulus Thabet Habib, shepherd of the Chaldean Diocese of Alqosh, who departed to his heavenly rest on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the age of 49, after a battle with a serious illness that gave him little time.
The late bishop served the Church and its people with faithfulness, love, wisdom, and devotion. He worked tirelessly to help our people remain rooted in the land of their ancestors. His life was a journey of faith, filled with generosity and selflessness. We witnessed his continued support for cultural and linguistic activities, which held a special place in his heart — both during his pastoral service in his hometown of Karamlesh and later after his ordination as bishop of the Alqosh Diocese.
We ask the Almighty Lord to grant him eternal rest, let His perpetual light shine upon him, and bring comfort and strength to his family, loved ones, and the Chaldean Church.
It is worth noting that Mar Paulus Thabet Habib was born on February 14, 1976, in the town of Karamlesh, in the Nineveh Plain. He held a bachelor’s degree in Earth Sciences from the University of Mosul, and another bachelor’s degree in Patristic Studies from the Pontifical Urbaniana University – Augustinianum Institute – Lateran, Rome. He was fluent in Syriac, Arabic, Italian, and English. He was ordained a priest on July 25, 2008, was named bishop in 2018 in his hometown of Karamlesh, and was ordained bishop of the Chaldean Diocese of Alqosh on November 18, 2022.