Emmanuel III Delly

Cardinal Delly died on 8 April 2014, aged 86, in San Diego, California, where he had lived in retirement. Pope Francis offered his condolences.

Cardinal Delly did not participate in the 2013 conclave, having already reached age 80.

On 19 December 2012, Delly resigned as patriarch of Chaldean Catholic Church and Pope Benedict named Archeparch Jacques Ishaq as administrator ad interim. At the same time Pope Benedict convoked a synod to be held to Rome of the Chaledean Church to choose Delly's successor as patriarch.

On 17 October 2007, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he would make Delly a Cardinal. Delly was elevated to the College of Cardinals in the consistory at St. Peter's Basilica on November 24, 2007. Pope Benedict XVI said that by naming Delly a cardinal he was demonstrating his "spiritual closeness and [his] affection" for Iraqi Christians.

Since his election as Patriarch in December 2003, Mar Emmanuel III Delly continued to work for the Chaldean Church. In Iraq, the Chaldean Church, which is the largest Christian group, consists of eight dioceses totaling 100 parishes and approximately 1,000,000 people. Additionally, there are another eight dioceses outside of Iraq, in countries including Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Europe, Australia, Canada and the U.S. It is estimated that the Chaldean population is over one and a half million devotees worldwide. He was well known for his respect and cooperation with leaders of other churches and faiths, mainly Muslims.

Mar Emmanuel III Delly (Syriac: ܡܪܝ ܥܡܢܘܐܝܠ ܬܠܝܬܝܐ ܕܠܝ‎, Arabic: مار عمانوئيل الثالث دلّي) (27 September 1927 – 8 April 2014) was the Patriarch Emeritus of Babylon of the Chaldeans and former Primate of the Chaldean Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic sui juris particular church of the Catholic Church, and also a cardinal. He was born in Tel Keppe and was ordained a priest on 21 December 1952. He was consecrated a bishop in December 1962 at the age of 35. He was elected Patriarch of the Chaldean Church on 3 December 2003, succeeding the late Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid. He was raised to the rank of cardinal bishop on 24 November 2007.

Karem Delly was born in Tel Keppe, in northern Iraq, on 27 September 1927 to Jarjes Murad Delly and Katrina Putros. He was baptized on 6 October 1927 by Father Francis Kattola.