Chaldeans and Assyrians are both minority ethno-religious groups native to the Levantine and Iraq region. They are actually very similar – both speak Assyrian, are native to Mesopotamia and share very similar ethnic heritages. So What is the difference between Chaldeans and Assyrians? The differences boil down to which Eastern sect the group follows.
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Who are the Chaldeans?
The Chaldeans are an ancient community from Iraq, with roots going back to Mesopotamia. Originally, the word “Chaldean” referred to people living in southern Iraq thousands of years ago, but today it’s mostly used to describe Chaldean Christians. They belong to the Chaldean Catholic Church, which is linked to Rome but keeps its own traditions, language, and way of worship.
Most Chaldeans historically lived in northern Iraq, especially around Mosul and the Nineveh Plains, though many have since moved abroad due to war and instability. You’ll find big communities in places like Detroit, Europe, and Australia. Many still speak Neo-Aramaic, a modern version of the language that’s been spoken in the region for centuries, particularly in church settings.
Culturally, Chaldeans see themselves as indigenous to Iraq, with a strong connection to the land and a long history that predates modern borders. Even after years of displacement, they’ve held onto their identity, faith, and sense of community.
Who are the Assyrians?
Assyrians are an indigenous, transnational ethno-linguistic group native to Mesopotamia, whose ancestral homeland spans parts of modern-day Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria. They descend from the ancient Assyrian Empire, one of the world’s earliest civilizations.Modern Assyrians are not Arab, Kurdish, or Persian, and they have maintained a distinct identity for millennia. Their defining characteristics include language (Assyrians speak varieties of Neo-Aramaic, a Semitic language closely related to the ancient Aramaic spoken by Jesus Christ), and religion (the vast majority are Christians).
Their churches are among the oldest in the world, primarily belonging to the Assyrian Church of the East, the Chaldean Catholic Church, and the Syriac Orthodox and Catholic churches.
Following centuries of persecution, genocides, and regional instability, the majority of the global Assyrian population (estimated at 3 to 5 million) now lives in the diaspora. Large communities exist in the United States (particularly in Chicago), Sweden, Germany, and Australia.
They are the direct descendants of the ancient Assyrian civilization, which established one of the world’s earliest and most powerful empires. Unlike the majority populations in their Middle Eastern homeland, Assyrians are distinct in their ethnicity, language, and culture; they are not Arabs, Kurds, or Turks A defining pillar of Assyrian identity is their language, Neo-Aramaic, a Semitic tongue evolved from the ancient Aramaic once spoken across the region. Culturally, Assyrians are overwhelmingly Christian, belonging to ancient eastern rites like the Assyrian Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, and Syriac Orthodox Church.
Because of this distinct religious and ethnic identity, Assyrians have faced centuries of severe persecution, culminating in the 1915 Seyfo genocide and recent displacement by ISIS. These existential threats triggered a massive global exodus. Today, a significant portion of the estimated four million Assyrians live in vibrant diaspora communities across Europe, North America, and Australia, where they work tirelessly to preserve their unique language, rich heritage, and ancestral traditions.
What is the Difference between Chaldeans and Assyrians?
At its core, the Chaldean faith isn’t wildly different from other Catholic traditions, but it has its own flavour shaped by history, geography, and culture.
Chaldean Christians are part of the Chaldean Catholic Church, which means they recognise the Pope in Rome, unlike Assyrian or Syriac churches that split earlier. That said, their day-to-day religious life doesn’t feel very “Roman.” The liturgy is ancient and comes from the Church of the East, with prayers that go back well over a thousand years.
Assyrians traditionally belong to the independent Assyrian Church of the East, while Chaldeans are Catholic Assyrians who belong to the Chaldean Catholic Church, which is in full communion with the Pope in Rome.
“Assyrian” is generally viewed as an ethnic and national descriptor encompassing all people of this Mesopotamian heritage. “Chaldean” is historically a religious designation for those who adopted Catholicism, though many modern Chaldeans prefer to view it as a distinct ethnic identity. Both groups originate from the exact same geographic region—the Nineveh Plains of northern Iraq, southeast Turkey, northwest Iran, and northeast Syria.
Our YPT Christmas In Iraq tour group at Christmas Eve Mass in a Chaldean Church in Baghdad!
