DECEMBER 2023

FEATURE
Who Are the Chaldeans?
From ancient lands to modern times, a small
community continues to leave its mark
BY CAL ABBO
From left: Mar Addai of Edessa; Through store ownership, Chaldeans established a significant presence in the city of Detroit.
Detroit is home to a unique Middle
Eastern community who
call themselves Chaldeans.
This article attempts to illuminate the
Chaldean heritage and religion, tracing
its journey from the grand civilizations
of ancient Mesopotamia to the culturally
rich villages of Northern Iraq. We
will explore the profound legacy of the
Chaldeans and examine the integral
role of the Church of the East in sculpting
their identity across millennia.
Historical Roots of the Chaldeans
The Chaldean story begins in the fertile
crescent of ancient Mesopotamia,
where they established themselves
as a notable civilization. Renowned
for their advancements in astronomy,
mathematics, and governance, the
Chaldeans played a crucial role in
the development of early human culture
and technology. Centered around
the city of Babylon, the society was
marked by significant contributions to
the arts, science, and literature, laying
foundations that would influence generations
to come.
Many Chaldeans today, especially
those in Detroit, claim an ethnic heritage
from the Chaldean tribes and civilizations
best known for their accomplishments
in Ancient Babylon. As a
minority in the Middle East as well as
the United States, their identity today
is centered on this fact.
After Babylon was conquered by
the Persian Empire, hundreds of thousands
or even millions of Chaldeans
migrated to different areas of the Middle
East. Many resettled in the Northern
parts of Mesopotamia as a result
and established the villages and towns
that modern Chaldeans come from.
The Church of the East
The Church of the East’s origins are
intertwined with the early spread of
Christianity. Established in the 1st century
AD, the Church played a pivotal
role in disseminating Christian teachings
across Asia, reaching as far as India
and China. Its inception marked a
significant chapter in the religious and
cultural history of the region, fostering
a distinctive Christian theology that
was both adaptive and expansive.
After the death of Jesus Christ, his
apostles began to travel the world to
spread the good news and Christianize
the world. Famously, the Apostle
St. Thomas began his travels to the
far east. Some of the first people he
encountered were the Chaldeans and
the surrounding communities. These
places were already heavily influenced
by Jewish culture and doctrine and accepting
that the Messiah had arrived
was a simple task.
Mar Addai and Mar Mari were crucial
in Christianizing the Chaldeans.
As St. Thomas continued on his journey
to India, these two men stayed
in the Middle East to Christianize the
people there and establish churches.
Today, our liturgy still reflects the lessons
given from these two men.
Over the years, the Church of the
East became a cornerstone of Chaldean
cultural identity. As Christianity
44 CHALDEAN NEWS DECEMBER 2023