Mar Orahem Orahem (Ibrahim Ibrahim in Arabic or Abraham Abraham in English) is the leader of the Chaldean  community in the United States. His work for the betterment of his people is highly regarded by all members of the Chaldean community in the United States.

Mar Orahem was born on October 1, 1937 in Tel Keppe (Telkaif in Arabic, a suburb of old Nineveh), North of Mosul, (IRAQ).  He entered the Chaldean Seminary in Mosul September 1951, after six years of study he was sent to the Seminary of St. Sulpice in Paris, France to continue the studies of Philosophy and Theology. He returned to Baghdad in August 1962, and was ordained priest by the Late Patriarch Mar Paulus Cheikho on December 30, 1962 and he was appointed Professor of Dogmatic Theology in the Chaldean Seminary in Baghdad.

In September 1964, Reverend Orahem was appointed Rector of the Chaldean Major Seminary in Baghdad till 1968 when he was designated to be associate pastor in St. Joseph Chaldean Parish. In 1970 he was asked to return to his native village, Tel Keppe in order to establish a new Seminary College in the Archdiocese of Mosul, IRAQ. After two years he was sent by the Chaldean Patriarch to Rome to continue his study of Theology, three years later he earn his Doctor Degree in theology from the Augelicum University, his thesis was about the Christology of Narsai, a famous Chaldean/Assyrian Theologian, writer and poet of the 5th. Century.

In December 1975 Rev. Orahem returned back to Baghdad and was assigned to the same post in St. Joseph Parish till 1978 when he was asked to go to the United States of America to assist the pastor of St. Peter Chaldean Parish in San Diego, California. One year later he was asked to establish a Chaldean parish in Los Angeles and he became the founder of St. Paul Parish in there.

In January 22, 1982 the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II confirmed the election made by the Chaldean Synod of Reverend Orahem to become the First Chaldean Bishop of the U.S.A. Reverend Orahem was consecrated Bishop on March 7, 1982 in Baghdad, and his confirmation took place at the Chaldean Cathedral in Southfield, Michigan on April 18, 1982.

Bishop Orahem speaks and writes Syriac, Arabic, English, French and Italian. He is the leader of the Chaldean  Community in the U.S.A. which numbers now more than 150,000, spread all over the country but mainly in Detroit, Chicago, San Diego, Los Angeles, Turlock, San Jose and Arizona.

Click here for a list of Chaldean/Assyrian Monasteries in Iraq

Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Churches in the United States:

Chaldean Diocese  25603 Berg Road Southfield, MI 48034 Phone (248) 351-0440		Mar Addai Parish 24010 Coolidge Highway Oak Park, Michigan 48237 Phone (248) 547-4648
St. Mary Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church 109 North First Street  Campbell, CA 95008 Phone (408) 378-6212		Mother of God Parish 25585 Berg Road Southfield, Michigan 48034 Phone (248) 356-0565
Saint Paul Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church 13050 Vanowen Street North Hollywood, California 91605   Phone (818) 765-3665		Sacred Heart Parish 310 W. Seven Mile Road Detroit, Michigan 48203 Phone (313) 368-6214
Saint Thomas Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church 2901 N. Berkeley Avenue Turlock, California 95380  Phone (209) 668-4500		Saint Thomas Parish 6900 Maple Road West Bloomfield, MI 48322 Phone (248) 788-2460
Saint Ephrem's Church 2537 West Bryn Mawr Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60659  Phone (773) 271-8899		Mar Auraha Chaldean Catholic Church 6816 East Cactus Roar   Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Phone (602) 596-6798
Mart Maryam Church 2849 West Chase Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60645 Phone (773) 761-9401

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