Chaldean Patriarch Sako meets French Interior Minister Retailleau to discuss plight of Middle Eastern Christians

PARIS — Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Mar Louis Raphaël I Sako met with France’s Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau on Monday to address the precarious situation facing Christians in Iraq and the broader Middle East. 

The meeting, held at the Ministry of the Interior in Paris, took place against the backdrop of growing international concern over the future of Christian communities in a region plagued by political instability and security challenges. Both leaders stressed the urgency of safeguarding Christians’ rights and ensuring their continued presence in their ancestral homelands. 

Patriarch Sako was accompanied by Fathers Skifan Matta and Nersai Solay. 

Minister Retailleau, a prominent conservative figure in French politics and a senior member of the Senate, has served as Interior Minister since 2024. Known for his right-leaning policies, he plays a pivotal role in shaping France’s domestic and international approaches to minority rights and religious freedoms. 

The meeting underscored ongoing efforts to address the vulnerabilities faced by minority communities amid the complex geopolitical challenges in the Middle East.