Rebuilding a 12th-century monastery destroyed by ISIS
With the help of the French NGO "Fraternité en Irak" (Brotherhood with Iraq), Father Jacob Youssef Hasso Isso is working on the reconstruction of Mar Behnam which ISIS attempted to blow up. It is an important place for Christians in the area and is also a Muslim pilgrimage site. “I always celebrate Mass, even if there’s no one here”, says
Iraqi Assyrian Children Plead With U.S. President to Save Them
As the deadline looms for the State Department and USAID to provide portions of more than $1 billion in aid to the religious minorities targeted for genocide by ISIS in Iraq, the children of Christian and Yazidi refugees are pleading directly to President Trump to take action. A series of photos provided exclusively to Fox News show the young refugees
Iraqi Church leaders pray for peace after Kurdish referendum
Erbil, Iraq - Church leaders have expressed anxiety over a Kurdish vote for independence in a recent referendum, saying Kurdistan’s decision to split from Iraq could prompt more conflict and uncertainty in a region that has already faced immeasurable suffering in recent years. Despite signs of hope in Iraq, “there is still much of uncertainty and danger that threatens the region,”
Mr. Sami El-Yousef; first lay person to assume position of Chief Executive Officer of the Latin Patriarchate
INTERVIEW – On June 14, 2017, H.E. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa appointed Mr. Sami El-Yousef as the first lay person to assume the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Latin Patriarchate. During an interview, Mr. Sami reflected on this new change and the work to be implemented in the future. On September 1, 2017, you became the first lay person
‘Middle East would lose a great deal if the hemorrhage of Christians continues’
French-Lebanese theologian and philosopher Antoine Fleyfel emphasizes the importance of the Oriental Christian community for the diversity of the Arab world and warns against the temptation to turn inwards. What have Christians contributed to the Middle East including during the period since it became Arab? Antoine Fleyfel: Answering this question involves going back into the history of the region, which
Alqosh, Christian village on faultline of Iraq and Kurdistan
ALQOSH, Iraq - Louay gestured towards the Mar Mikha al-Nuhedri school. He said it has been in the town of Alqosh since the fifth century. "They were the first one here and they are teaching the instruction of Christianity," he said. "They brought disabled kids here to teach them." A caretaker in the house of the Catholic patriarch in Alqosh, Louay
US Senate committee passes resolution that seeks to aid Christian genocide victims in Iraq
A Senate committee has passed a resolution that seeks to provide emergency aid for Christians and other victims of genocide in Iraq and Syria. HR 390, also known as the Iraq and Syria Genocide Accountability Act, directs the U.S. State Department to provide relief to hundreds of thousands of Christians, Yazidis and Muslims who were displaced from their homes during
Christians divided on the Kurdish independence referendum
Erbil - The Chaldean Church "is not responsible" for the positions expressed by parties, organizations and armed factions led by members of local Christian communities, regarding the situation of Iraq and its current problems. In this delicate phase - reads a text released by the official media of the Patriarchate, and sent to Agenzia Fides - "Everyone is personally responsible
Churches call for urgent action for Cremisan Valley
As the statements calling for justice in Cremisan Valley fail to work, churches urged the international community at the 36th Session of UN Human Rights Council for action regarding the occupied territories between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. “We have seen the devastating impacts of the Israeli policies of occupation on our communities, including forcible displacement, in open violation of Israel’s obligations
New Vicar of Jerusalem to focus on young people and education, future of peace and hope
Jerusalem - Being "citizens and Christians" in the Holy Land as Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah says is not just a "historical or geographic" fact, but a "choice of vocation and mission. God calls us on a journey to accomplish in the land of Jesus, said Mgr Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, the new patriarchal vicar of Jerusalem and Palestine. The prelate spoke to AsiaNews about