Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, and Armenia, DELEGATION APOSTOLIC OF, created by Gregory XVI, December 17, 1832. Msgr. Trioche, Archbishop of Babylon or Bagdad, became its first titular; he resided habitually in Bagdad. Resigning in 1850, Msgr. Trioche returned to France, retaining his title of Archbishop of Bagdad, but losing that of Apostolic delegate which passed to other bishops. These, while having charge of the administration of the Archdiocese of Bagdad, resided at Mosul, where they could better discharge their duties as Apostolic delegates in behalf of the Chaldeans, Syrians, and Armenians. Four out of six, from 1850 to 1887, were Dominicans. When Msgr. Trioche died in France November 27, 1887, the delegate Apostolic, Msgr. Altmayer, received the title of Archbishop of Babylon or Bagdad, but continued to reside at Mossul. In 1902 he resigned and was replaced in the See of Bagdad by a Carmelite, Msgr. Drure, who on March 5, 1904, received the title of delegate Apostolic of Mesopotamia and still bears it. He usually resides at Mossul. The Delegation Apostolic of Mesopotamia has almost the same boundaries as the Archdiocese of Bagdad, but comprises part of the mission of Greater Armenia and the Nestorians of Turkish Kurdistan, which mission is confided to the Dominicans of Mossul. (See Bagdad; Mossul.)
S. VAILHE