In an attempt to safeguard Iraq’s fragile Christian heritage, the Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad has launched an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to stop what he calls ‘attempts to destroy historic Christian cemeteries’ in the province of Najaf.

In their place, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako denounces in a reflection published on the patriarchate’s website, local authorities want to support commercial development plans that would end up erasing a historical testimony of great value.

According to the Chaldean Church leader, ‘reliable sources in Najaf’ – a city 160 km south of the capital – are sounding the alarm about ‘attempts to transfer control of historic Christian cemeteries’ to investors and entrepreneurs with the aim of ‘carrying out projects’ in the construction sector.

Hence the initiative of the cardinal, who has appealed directly to the head of government to block the expropriation and keep alive the memory of a Christian presence in the area.

According to the statement, Cardinal Sako asked al-Sudani to ‘intervene and stop the violation of Christian holy sites,’ specifically identifying the ‘Manathira cemetery’ and the ‘Umm Kheshm cemetery for Christian Manathira’ as being at risk of ‘imminent threat.’

‘These historic sites,’ the cardinal continued, ‘must be guarded and fenced off. Furthermore, they must not be tied to private investment projects, which would end up completely erasing them.’

Framing his appeal in terms of national interest, the cardinal argued that these areas have immense cultural and economic value that goes beyond the Christian community and concerns the entire Iraqi population, including Muslims.

Cardinal Sako went on to emphasise that Iraq’s diverse history predates the Islamic era by a long way, encompassing ‘the Akkadians, Sumerians, Chaldeans, Babylonians, Assyrians, Arabs, Persians, Christians and finally Muslims.’

With a view to diversifying state revenues, the Chaldean primate recalled how the preservation and promotion of these sites would ultimately boost the country’s economy.

“These archaeological sites, together with the Shiite shrines of Najaf and Karbala, are places of pilgrimage in which adequate investment can be made so that, in the long term, they become tourist and religious destinations,‘ observed Cardinal Sako. He issued a further warning to the authorities, adding that ’relying solely on oil revenues is not sustainable because one day the oil will run out.”.

Read more: https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Chaldean-Patriarch:-Save-the-historic-Christian-cemeteries-of-Najaf-63515.html

By asianews.it