Mar Mattai Monastery – A Timeless Sanctuary of Faith, History, and Resilience

By Syriac Press

August 23, 2025 

Photo Syriac Press

 ucked 35 kilometers northeast of Mosul, Iraq, Mar Mattai Monastery stands as an enduring symbol of spiritual devotion and historical richness. Perched at 2,100 feet on Mount Alfaf, this 4th-century Syriac Orthodox monastery, founded by saint Mar Mattai, is one of Beth Nahrin’s (Mesopotamia’s) most revered Christian landmarks. Its stunning location amidst the rugged beauty of northern Iraq, coupled with its serene climate and commanding views, makes it a cherished destination for pilgrims, historians, and tourists alike. As an archaeological treasure, religious sanctuary, and cultural beacon, Mar Mattai embodies the resilience of Beth Nahrin’s Christian heritage.

Founded in the 4th century by Mar Mattai, a Syriac ascetic renowned for his piety, the monastery quickly became a spiritual hub, drawing thousands of monks and hermits from Nineveh and across Beth Nahrin. At its zenith, it reportedly housed up to 7,000 monks, a testament to its prominence during its golden eras. Despite centuries of invasions, fires, and plunder, the monastery retains sacred elements, including the altar, the House of Saints (part of the main church), Mar Mattai’s cell, ancient cisterns, caves, and hermitages.

A catastrophic fire in 480 AD razed much of its original artistry, erasing intricate inscriptions and decorations. Yet, by 544 AD, dedicated monks restored the site, reviving its ascetic traditions. Further trials followed, including abandonment in 1171 due to attacks from neighboring groups and devastating Mongol and Tatar raids after 1260. Each time, the monastery rose from adversity, with significant renovations in the 1970s bringing electricity and a paved road, transforming it into a modern pilgrimage and tourist site.

Mar Mattai’s enduring fame rests on three pillars: spiritual, ecclesiastical, and scholarly significance. Spiritually, Mar Mattai and his successors played a pivotal role in spreading Christianity across the region. 

They converted notable figures such as Mar Behnam, his sister Sarah, their parents Sennacherib and his wife, and many from the province of Athor. The monastery’s sanctity, enriched by the relics of Saint Mar Mattai and other saints, has long drawn pilgrims seeking healing, blessings, and spiritual renewal. Its reputation as a sacred site persists, with visitors flocking to venerate its holy relics and hear the word of God amidst its tranquil halls.

Ecclesiastically, Mar Mattai rose to prominence as an episcopal seat in the late 5th century, later becoming a metropolitan see, wielding significant influence within the Church of the East. Its metropolitan held a preeminent position, shaping the church’s direction. 

The monastery served as a residence for distinguished figures, including the renowned scholar Bar Hebraeus, who lived there for seven years in the 13th century. It hosted several key synods, produced three patriarchs, seven catholicos, and numerous bishops, cementing its role as a cornerstone of Syriac Christianity.

Scholarly, Mar Mattai was a beacon of intellectual achievement. Its 5th-century library, one of the finest repositories of Syriac manuscripts, housed treasures like the Syriac Gospel by the monk Mubarak Bartalli, adorned with 54 vibrant illustrations. 

Many of these manuscripts are now preserved in prestigious institutions, including the British Museum, Cambridge, Berlin, the Vatican, and Lebanon’s Deir Sharfeh. The monastery’s school fostered luminaries such as Mar Marutha Tikriti and Bar Hebraeus, whose contributions enriched the intellectual landscape of the Abbasid era. The school’s scholars played a vital role in translating and preserving knowledge, bridging Eastern and Western traditions during a golden age of learning.

Today, Mar Mattai remains a vibrant testament to resilience. Accessible via a recently paved road or traditional stone paths winding between mountain ridges, its three-story complex comprises approximately 100 rooms, including two churches dedicated to saint Mar Mattai and the Virgin Mary. 

The name “Al-Tabki,” derived from the Syriac term for “ascent,” reflects the monastery’s elevated position, both physically and spiritually. Despite Iraq’s turbulent recent history, including threats from conflict and instability, Mar Mattai continues to attract visitors from around the world. 

Its blend of spiritual depth, historical richness, and natural beauty makes it a cultural jewel, inviting exploration of its sacred halls and contemplation of its enduring legacy. 

As a living monument, Mar Mattai Monastery stands as a bridge between past and present, offering solace and inspiration to all who visit.

Iraqi Christians face political challenges as election approaches

By Catholic News Agency - ACI MENA

Georgena Habbaba

August 23, 2025

As Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission announces the final lists of political coalitions, parties, and individual candidates ahead of November’s parliamentary elections, a critical question hangs over the country’s Christian community: Will their voice truly be heard in decision-making or will it be sacrificed to the interests of political parties and influential blocs?

More than 30 Christian candidates, running individually or with specific blocs and parties, are competing for the five seats reserved for them under Iraq’s electoral law. These seats are distributed across the provinces of Baghdad, Nineveh, Kirkuk, Dohuk, and Erbil. Meanwhile, the Independent High Electoral Commission recently disqualified three of these candidates for various reasons.

In an effort to attract Christian voters, several electoral entities and coalitions have emerged in what observers describe as the “political exploitation of the Christian component.”

Despite their different political affiliations and disagreements on multiple issues, they share a common strategy: adopting Christian names and aggressively competing for the five seats. This has raised serious concerns about the independence of Christian political decision-making in the upcoming Parliament.

Call to action

Despite a significant decline in Iraq’s Christian population over recent decades, particularly after many were forcibly displaced by ISIS in 2014, the head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, has consistently urged Iraqis, especially Christians, to participate in the upcoming elections.
He emphasized the crucial role each individual can play in shaping the country’s future.
Sako, whose church represents the majority of Iraq’s Christians, has long advocated for restricting voting for Christian quota seats to Christians only. He has expressed growing concern within his community, noting that the threat of emigration is intensifying “due to armed factions seizing control of their towns, especially in the Nineveh Plain, along with blackmail, harassment, and the confiscation of quotas and government positions, all while effective measures to protect their rights and security remain absent.”

Accusations and demographic decline

Accusations continue to fly between the so-called “Christian” alliances, with groups blaming one another for being controlled by larger, non-Christian parties and for hijacking quota seats while failing to provide genuine Christian representation. This infighting persists as the Christian community faces ongoing demographic decline and harsh conditions.

Meanwhile, new parliamentary figures are gaining prominence, often with success attributed to non-Christian votes, as they are seen as aligned with powerful political parties and alliances.

Calls for electoral law reforms are growing louder, with advocates demanding changes to prevent Christian quota seats from being captured by outsiders. They argue that reform is necessary to ensure the genuine voice of Christian voters is heard, free from marginalization, dependency, or exploitation.

As the election approaches, a critical question remains: Will the upcoming elections provide an opportunity for genuine Christian representatives to win, or will history repeat itself?

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

Iraq: card. Sako (patriarca caldeo) a ritiro annuale clero, “no alla schiavitù del potere e del denaro. No al fondamentalismo”

By AgenSIR - Patriarcato caldeo 

Foto Patriarcato caldeo

“Essere segni di speranza in un modo tormentato”: è stato il tema del ritiro spirituale annuale del clero caldeo (Ankawa, 18-21 agosto) cui hanno partecipato 65 tra sacerdoti, vescovi e religiosi di rito caldeo, sotto la guida del loro patriarca, card. Louis Raphael Sako.
Al termine dei lavori il patriarca ha indirizzato a tutti i partecipanti un messaggio nel quale li invita a riflettere sul senso della “vocazione da vivere con dignità e verità dentro di noi e nel cercare di diffonderla intorno a noi”.
Ricordando le parole di uno dei predicatori del ritiro, Mar Sako ha ricordato che “quella caldea è una chiesa che lotta nonostante le sfide e le tentazioni” e ha citato “la crisi degli sfollati che ha visto la nostra chiesa al loro fianco per guarire le loro ferite e venire incontro ai bisogni spirituali e materiali”.
Da qui l’esortazione del patriarca a “conservare quest’anima umana, spirituale e pastorale. Non importa quali siano le difficoltà, sostenetevi a vicenda – ha detto il cardinale rivolgendosi ai sacerdoti e vescovi presenti -.
Il ritiro spirituale è un’opportunità di riconciliazione e rinnovamento. Siamo esseri umani che possono entrare in crisi o commettere errori, ma siamo in grado di uscirne cambiati”.
Nella lettera Mar Sako mette in guardia anche dai rischi che derivano dalla “schiavitù del potere e del denaro, dalla partigianeria, dal rincorrere interessi personali e materiali a spese della verità. Queste sono tutte trappole del diavolo che fanno perdere tutti coloro che vi cadono dentro”.
In questo ambito forte è il monito del patriarca caldeo ai partecipanti al ritiro a “rispettare e cooperare con la gerarchia ecclesiastica, a ricercare il dialogo, il rispetto, e la sincerità nel rapporto con il proprio vescovo con senso di responsabilità e in spirito sinodale”. “La società è cambiata, la mentalità del mondo è cambiata, la stessa cultura è cambiata – conclude Mar Sako -. Non lasciamoci trascinare dal fondamentalismo e dalle tradizioni non autentiche, ma facciamo risplendere la luce di Dio su tutto, e aiutiamo le persone in questo tempo turbolento a comprendere la loro fede in modo comprensibile e corretto”.

The 7th shrine dedicated to Mary, mother of persecuted Christians, will open in Iraq

By Zenit
August 15, 2025

In the heart of Iraq’s Christian homeland, a new sanctuary is taking shape. Qaraqosh, once emptied of its Christian population by the advance of ISIS, will soon host one of only seven shrines in the world dedicated to Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians.
Its location is no coincidence.
Eleven years ago to the day of the sanctuary’s announcement, the city’s ancient Syriac Catholic community fled in the night, leaving homes, churches, and centuries of tradition behind.
ISIS had already issued an ultimatum to Christians in nearby Mosul: convert to Islam, pay the jizya tax, or face death.
Qaraqosh knew what was coming. For two years, ISIS turned Christian sanctuaries into firing ranges and military outposts. 

The liberation of Qaraqosh in 2016 by the Popular Mobilization Forces—predominantly Shiite militias—brought an end to jihadist rule but not to hardship. Christians began returning to a city in ruins, navigating a precarious coexistence under new political and military pressures.
The new shrine will stand within the recently built Church of St. Ephrem, its focal point an icon delivered this August by Father Benedict Kiely, founder of the Vermont-based charity Nasarean.org.
Painted by Syriac Catholic deacon Ibraheem Yaldo—himself displaced from his hometown of Bartella in 2014—the icon bears the Aramaic inscription “Mary, Mother of the Persecuted.”
For Archbishop Benedict Younan Hano, who heads the Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul from Qaraqosh, the timing is deliberate.
“It is a sign that faith endures,” he says, “even in the very place where our largest Christian city was taken and desecrated.”
Hano hopes the shrine will prod Western Christians to pray for their brethren in the Middle East, and to remember that Christianity’s roots run deep in these lands, as Pope Leo XIV reminded Eastern Christians earlier this year.

The Syriac Catholic Church—one of 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome—still prays in Syriac, a dialect of the language spoken by Christ and the apostles. In Iraq, its faithful form the second-largest Catholic community after the Chaldean Church. But their numbers have plummeted: from 1.5 million Christians nationwide in 2003 to perhaps 150,000 today, with the exodus accelerating under ISIS’s reign of terror between 2014 and 2017.

Hope in Iraq: Churches full as 1,500 children celebrate first Communion

By Catholic News Agency

Georgena Habbaba
August 9, 2025

Eleven years have passed since ISIS seized Mosul and the Nineveh towns and with every anniversary commemorated each year, the same question arises: How many Iraqi Christians remain? 

Despite tensions and renewed challenges from regional conflict, Iraqi churches remain full.

Just weeks ago, Christians there celebrated joyfully as 1,000 young boys and girls received their first Communion. 

In Iraq’s capital, Chaldean parishes celebrated first Communion for 50 children, while 32 others received the sacrament at the Syriac Catholic parish.
Most significantly, 11 children took their first Communion at the Syriac Catholic Church of Our Lady of Deliverance — the same church that witnessed a horrific massacre in 2010, when dozens of worshippers and two priests were killed and hundreds wounded.

 
Guarding the deposit of faith In Qaraqosh (Baghdeda), churches belonging to the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul and its dependencies celebrated first Communion for 461 children across three separate ceremonies. Another 30 children received the sacrament in nearby Bashiqa and Bartella, with liturgies led by Archbishop Benedictos Younan Hanno. During his homilies, Hanno praised the faithful’s determination to stay on their ancestral land and their courage in returning after forced displacement. He commended their commitment to preserving their faith and passing it to their children, who have grown up in stable, united, devoted families.

Some celebrate, others wait
In Basra, Christian families have dwindled to fewer than 350 across all denominations — Chaldean, Armenian, Syriac, Presbyterian, and Latin — yet they remain on their land despite harsh living and environmental conditions. This year, the Chaldean and Syriac Catholic dioceses postponed first Communion celebrations, waiting to gather enough children for next year’s celebration. In Karemlesh, part of the Chaldean Archdiocese of Mosul, 26 children are preparing to receive the Eucharist. Meanwhile, the Chaldean Diocese of Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah celebrated first Communion for 26 children at Kirkuk’s Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. The Church in Sulaymaniyah, like Basra, is looking ahead to next year. 

Towns of northern
Iraq Ankawa’s churches within the Chaldean Diocese of Erbil experienced two extraordinary days.
Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda presided over three Masses where 210 children received first Communion. In his homilies, he emphasized that the sacrament goes far beyond beautiful photos and white gowns: It represents a lifelong commitment that transforms communicants’ homes into places where Jesus’ presence lives through forgiveness, active listening, and generosity. Children process into the St. Mary al-Tahir Church, also known as the Church of the Immaculate Conception, in Baghdad, for their first Communion.
Also, in Ankawa, 66 children from the Syriac Catholic Diocese of Adiabene received the Eucharist, along with 15 others in Duhok. In the Chaldean Diocese of Duhok, 75 children celebrated first Communion, while 150 did so in neighboring Zakho Diocese. A similar number in Alqosh Diocese, bereaved of its spiritual shepherd, will receive the sacrament in coming days. The Syriac Orthodox Church also celebrated first Communion for about 70 children in Bartella and 40 in Ankawa, including children from other denominations.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner. It has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

Ninive, card. Sako: a 11 anni dai massacri Isis ‘ansia e ossessione’ di migrare

By Asia News - Patriarcato caldeo

card. Louis Raphael Sako* 
8 agosto 2025

 A 11 anni dall’esodo dei cristiani da Mosul e dalla piana di Ninive, il 6 agosto 2014, in seguito all’ascesa dello Stato islamico (SI, ex Isis) col suo carico di morte e distruzione, “l’ansia e l’ossessione” per la migrazione “continuano a crescere” in mancanza di diritti e sicurezza.
È quanto scrive il primate di Baghdad dei caldei, il card. Louis Raphael Sako, in un messaggio pubblicato sul sito del patriarcato e inviato ad AsiaNews in occasione dell’undicesimo anniversario della cacciata dei cristiani dalla Piana di Ninive. Un dramma ancora vivo nella memoria, mentre restano attuali le persecuzioni per mano di “milizie” che “praticano estorsioni, vessazioni, intimidazioni e sequestro di quote parlamentari”. Un richiamo ai gruppi, legati a sedicenti leader cristiani, contro i quali si è più volte battuto lo stesso porporato. Nella messa celebrata il 6 agosto nella cattedrale di san Giuseppe a Baghdad il porporato ha ricordato il significato della Trasfigurazione al monte Tabor, chiedendo ai fedeli di pregare per la pace.

Il grido di allarme lanciato dal patriarca caldeo non è certo isolato, anche se troppo spesso sembra cadere nel vuoto inascoltato. Nei giorni scorsi leader caldei, assiri e siriaci hanno ricordato il “genocidio” che ha “sradicato” quasi mezzo milione di cristiani autoctoni dalla regione, chiedendo il riconoscimento formale delle atrocità e azioni urgenti della comunità internazionale per salvaguardare l’esistenza di un popolo. Nonostante il Parlamento iracheno abbia ufficialmente riconosciuto i crimini dell’Isis, infatti, non è stato intrapreso alcun passo formale per restituire i cristiani alla loro terra, mentre resta attuale il rischio di nuove persecuzioni a sfondo confessionale dello Stato islamico o altri gruppi. Per scongiurare ulteriori tragedie e preservare la vita e la cultura cristiane della regione serve una presa di coscienza dello Stato, che è chiamato a garantire la sicurezza. A distanza di anni estorsioni, molestie, intimidazioni e discriminazioni a livello politico e di lavoro, sono cronaca attuale nella piana di Ninive e nel nord dell’Iraq.

Di seguito, il messaggio del patriarca Sako:

Nell’undicesimo anniversario del radicale attacco contro i cristiani da parte dei membri dello Stato Islamico (Isis), che ha portato al loro sfollamento da Mosul e dalle città della Piana di Ninive, accompagnato dal saccheggio e dall’incendio delle loro proprietà, case e chiese, l’ansia dei cristiani e l’ossessione della migrazione continuano a crescere, in assenza di misure efficaci per proteggere i loro diritti, la loro sicurezza e i servizi. A ciò si aggiunge il controllo delle loro città nella pianura di Ninive da parte di milizie che praticano estorsioni, vessazioni, intimidazioni, nonché il sequestro delle loro quote parlamentari e delle opportunità di lavoro governative.

Nonostante queste difficili sfide, i cristiani rimangono saldi nella loro fede: la lettera rossa “N” (ن) sulle porte delle loro case rimane impressa nella loro memoria, ispirandoli a rifiutare l’ingiustizia e a testimoniare Cristo con fedeltà, indipendentemente dai sacrifici e dalle difficoltà.

Chiediamo al governo, che rappresenta tutto il popolo iracheno, di assumersi la responsabilità di proteggere questa popolazione cristiana autoctona e di difenderne i diritti. Si tratta di una necessità umanitaria e di un imperativo nazionale, per cui la salvaguardia delle libertà e dei diritti dei cristiani e delle altre minoranze non deve essere determinata solo da considerazioni demografiche, ma da misure giuste ed eque.

Poiché essi sono gli abitanti originari di queste terre, incarnano una ricca cultura e un patrimonio altrettanto ricco, rimangono fedeli alla loro patria, hanno svolto un ruolo essenziale nella vita della nazione irachena nei settori dell’istruzione, della cultura, della medicina e dei servizi sociali e possono ancora contribuire alla rinascita e al progresso dell’Iraq. Di conseguenza, la comunità cristiana merita sicurezza e giustizia per garantire che la sua presenza possa continuare nella propria terra; questo si aggiunge il dovere primario di garantire una coesistenza pacifica all’insegna della tolleranza, del rispetto e dell’armonia.

* Patriarca di Baghdad dei caldei e presidente della Conferenza episcopale irachena

Does the Eleventh Anniversary of the Christians’ Exodus Promise Peaceful Change

By Chaldean Patriarchate
Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako

August 6, 2025

On the eleventh anniversary of the drastic attack on Christians, by members of Islamic State (ISIS), resulted in displacing them from Mosul and towns of Nineveh Plain, accompanied by looting and burning of their properties, homes and Churches, the anxiety of Christians and obsession of migration continue to grow, in the absence of effective measures to protect their rights, security, and services. In addition to the seizing control of their towns in Nineveh Plain by militia groups that are practicing extortion, harassment, intimidation, as well as the abduction of their parliament quotas and governmental job opportunities.

Despite these tough challenges, Christians remain steadfast in their faith: the red letter “N” (ن) on the doors of their homes remaining etched in their memories, inspiring them to refuse injustice and bearing witness to Christ with fidelity, regardless of the sacrifices and hardship.

We call on the Government, which represents all Iraqi people, to shoulder its responsibilities of protecting this indigenous Christian population and upholding their rights. This cause is a humanitarian necessity and a national imperative, for which preserving the freedoms and rights of Christians and other minorities must be determined not by demographic considerations only, but by just and equitable measures; for they are original inhabitants of these lands, who embody a rich culture and heritage; who remain loyal to their homeland; who have played an essential role in the life of Iraqi nation in the fields of education, culture, medicine and social services; and who can still contribute to Iraq’s renaissance and progress.

Consequently, the Christian community deserve security and justice to ensure their continued presence on their land and a peaceful coexistence in tolerance, respect and harmony.

I ragazzi iracheni: torniamo da Roma carichi di speranza per il nostro Paese

By Radio Maria

Davide Imeneo - Avvenire

Per 110 giovani iracheni, il Giubileo dei giovani è stato un nuovo inizio, un’opportunità per rinvigorire il cammino di fede. Provenienti da diverse città dell’Iraq – Bagdad, Karakosh, Erbil, Duhok e Zakho – e appartenenti alle comunità neocatecumenali di rito caldeo e siro-cattolico, questi ragazzi hanno ripreso la via di casa con una certezza nuova: «Torneranno in Iraq rafforzati nella fede – spiega don Daniele Casturà, missionario italiano e responsabile dell’équipe itinerante del Cammino neocatecumenale – dopo un’esperienza che loro stessi hanno definito fortissima e unica».
Il pellegrinaggio a Roma si è rivelato un tempo di grazia capace di generare frutti concreti: «Questo darà loro la possibilità di testimoniare la freschezza dell’amore di Dio ai loro coetanei e nelle loro chiese molto sofferenti. Il ritorno di questi pellegrini sarà una grande iniezione di speranza per tutti – aggiunge don Daniele – e soprattutto porteranno in loro semi di nuove vocazioni e di nuove famiglie cristiane costruite sulla roccia, che è Cristo».
Questo cambiamento è il culmine di un cammino iniziato un anno fa, con un percorso di preparazione al Giubileo che ha coinvolto tutti i giovani delle comunità irachene. Ogni mese, in due diverse zone del Paese, si sono tenuti incontri per meditare sui messaggi del Papa ai giovani e fare un’attenta lettura e meditazione sui brani della Scrittura. Una settimana prima della partenza, l’intero gruppo si è riunito per un incontro spirituale, per entrare insieme nello spirito del pellegrinaggio.

Il viaggio ha incluso tappe nei luoghi di alcuni grandi santi: Francesco e Chiara d’Assisi, Carlo Acutis, padre Pio, Michele Arcangelo, e soprattutto san Tommaso, a Ortona, «primo evangelizzatore delle terre irachene». I giovani hanno anche incontrato seminaristi del Redemptoris Mater di Macerata e le monache benedettine di Barletta, ascoltando testimonianze vocazionali che li hanno aiutati a riflettere sulla propria chiamata.

Durante il Giubileo, i momenti più significativi sono stati la Veglia e l’Eucaristia con il Papa, e l’incontro di ieri con l’équipe internazionale responsabile del Cammino Neocatecumenale. In quell’occasione, «dopo aver ascoltato l’annuncio del Kerygma fatto dall’iniziatore del Cammino neocatecumenale Kiko Argüello, racconta don Daniele, sei giovani del nostro gruppo hanno espresso la volontà di seguire il Signore nel sacerdozio ministeriale e nove ragazze nella missione e nella vita contemplativa. Siamo rimasti veramente sorpresi e meravigliati di questi grandi doni». Un Giubileo, dunque, che non si conclude a Roma, ma continua nelle parrocchie e nelle comunità del Medio Oriente: giovani che tornano come segni viventi di una speranza nuova, pronti a edificare il futuro sulle fondamenta di una fede più matura, più consapevole e più gioiosa.

Iraq: 11 anni fa l’invasione dell’Isis della Piana di Ninive. Card. Sako (patriarca caldeo), “continuano le discriminazioni contro i cristiani”

By AgenSIR - Patriarcato caldeo

Undici anni dopo il tragico attacco ai cristiani da parte dello Stato Islamico (Isis), “l’ansia dei cristiani e l’ossessione per la migrazione continuano a crescere, in assenza di misure efficaci per proteggere i loro diritti, la loro sicurezza e i loro servizi”.
La denuncia è del patriarca caldeo di Baghdad, card. Louis Raphael Sako, che, in un messaggio diffuso dal Patriarcato caldeo, ricorda la data del 6 agosto del 2014 quando i miliziani dello Stato Islamico dilagarono nella Piana di Ninive, costringendo i 120mila cristiani che l’abitavano a fuggire verso il Kurdistan iracheno.
Da lì in poi si susseguirono saccheggi e incendi delle proprietà cristiane, di case e chiese.
A distanza di anni, nonostante estorsioni, molestie, intimidazioni e discriminazioni a livello politico e di lavoro, che subiscono da parte di milizie attive nella Piana di Ninive, rimarca il cardinale, “i cristiani restano saldi nella loro fede.
La lettera rossa ‘N’ (ن), Nazareni, sulle porte delle loro case resta impressa nella loro memoria, ispirandoli a rifiutare l’ingiustizia e a testimoniare Cristo con fedeltà”. Mar Sako lancia un appello al Governo iracheno “affinché si assuma la responsabilità di proteggere la popolazione cristiana autoctona e di tutelarne i diritti. Questa causa è una necessità umanitaria e un imperativo nazionale, per cui la salvaguardia delle libertà e dei diritti dei cristiani e delle altre minoranze non deve essere determinata solo da considerazioni demografiche, ma da misure giuste ed eque”.
Il patriarca caldeo ribadisce che i cristiani “sono abitanti originari di queste terre, incarnano una ricca cultura e un ricco patrimonio; rimangono fedeli alla loro patria; hanno svolto un ruolo essenziale nella vita della Nazione irachena nei campi dell’istruzione, della cultura, della medicina e dei servizi sociali; e possono ancora contribuire alla rinascita e al progresso dell’Iraq”. “La comunità cristiana – conclude – merita sicurezza e giustizia per garantire la sua continua presenza sulla propria terra e una pacifica convivenza nella tolleranza, nel rispetto e nell’armonia”.

Does the Eleventh Anniversary of the Christians’ Exodus Promise Peaceful Change

By Chaldean Patriarchate

Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako

On the eleventh anniversary of the drastic attack on Christians, by members of Islamic State (ISIS), resulted in displacing them from Mosul and towns of Nineveh Plain, accompanied by looting and burning of their properties, homes and Churches, the anxiety of Christians and obsession of migration continue to grow, in the absence of effective measures to protect their rights, security, and services. In addition to the seizing control of their towns in Nineveh Plain by militia groups that are practicing extortion, harassment, intimidation, as well as the abduction of their parliament quotas and governmental job opportunities.

Despite these tough challenges, Christians remain steadfast in their faith: the red letter “N” (ن) on the doors of their homes remaining etched in their memories, inspiring them to refuse injustice and bearing witness to Christ with fidelity, regardless of the sacrifices and hardship.

We call on the Government, which represents all Iraqi people, to shoulder its responsibilities of protecting this indigenous Christian population and upholding their rights.
This cause is a humanitarian necessity and a national imperative, for which preserving the freedoms and rights of Christians and other minorities must be determined not by demographic considerations only, but by just and equitable measures; for they are original inhabitants of these lands, who embody a rich culture and heritage; who remain loyal to their homeland; who have played an essential role in the life of Iraqi nation in the fields of education, culture, medicine and social services; and who can still contribute to Iraq’s renaissance and progress.

Consequently, the Christian community deserve security and justice to ensure their continued presence on their land and a peaceful coexistence in tolerance, respect and harmony.