Iraqi archbishop found dead

VATICAN CITY-- Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho of Mosul, Iraq, who had been kidnapped Feb. 29, was found dead March 13.

Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of Baghdad told the Italian Catholic agency SIR that the kidnappers had informed church leaders March 12 that Rahho, 65, "was very ill," and a few hours later they phoned again to say he had died. They phoned the next morning to tell church leaders where they had buried the archbishop.

Rahho was kidnapped after leading a Way of the Cross service at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Mosul. His driver and two bodyguards were killed.

COPYRIGHT 2008 National Catholic Reporter
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning