Nathaniel Nizar Semaan

Nathanael Nizar Wadih Semaan (born 1 January 1965) is an Iraqi Syriac Catholic hierarch, who has served as the first eparch of the Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Adiabene since its creation in June 2019. He previously served as the Coadjutor Archbishop of the Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul.

Early life and education Nizar Semaan was born in Qaraqosh (Bakhdida), Iraq, in 1965. After primary and secondary studies he entered the patriarchal seminary of Charfet, Lebanon, where, from 1986 to 1991, he completed his education by studying at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik. Following his ordination, he later moved to Rome to continue his higher education, where he obtained a doctorate in liturgical sciences from the Pontifical Oriental Institute.

Priesthood He was ordained to the priesthood on 1 November 1991 for the Archeparchy of Mosul. He was consecrated as a bishop on 7 June 2019 by Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Yonan.

Only a few months later, on 28 June 2019, the Synod of the Syriac Catholic Church, with the approval of Pope Francis, established the new Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Adiabene with its see in Erbil. Semaan was named its first eparchial bishop.