Source: SIR
“As long as there are people like Msgr. Raho, Christianity in Iraq, as in the whole Middle East, will never come to an end”. Father Philip Najim, Chaldean procurator at the Holy See and visitor for Europe, thus recalled the archbishop of Mosul, Msgr. Paulos Faraj Raho, one year after his death (13 March 2008, after about two weeks' kidnapping). “He witnessed his faith until his death, and his memory is alive not only among the believers of Mosul and Iraq, but also for the Iraqi people abroad”, said the Chaldean procurator to SIR. “Msgr. Raho paid a contribution to strengthen the Christian community in the Middle East, together with lots of priests and laymen (I'm thinking of Father Ragheed Ganni and his subdeacons (killed on 3 June 2007 – editor's note), who lost their lives for their faith, becoming martyrs of the Middle East Church. However small in number, the Middle East Church is lively. As long as there are figures like them, the Middle East will remain a fertile land for the Christian faith”. In this sense, “the visit of Benedict XVI to the Holy Land will strengthen the local Christians, and will also remind them that they are part of the Church and in the heart of the Pope”. “Exactly for this reason, during the Jordan stage of his journey – concluded Msgr. Najim, – Benedict XVI will meet the whole Iraqi episcopate in Amman, led by Patriarch Delly. The episcopate was invited for the Pope's visit. It is a highly meaningful gesture”.
