Where God Weeps - the suffering church in focus

Iraq: Celebrating Christmas behind the walls

By John Pontifex, ACN UK

Concrete walls up to three meters high are being erected around churches in Baghdad and Mosul to protect Christmas worshippers from being targeted by extremists.

With access points for Mass-goers controlled by police with scanning equipment, the barriers are the Iraqi government’s response to reports of increased threats to churches and other Christian communities in the run-up to Christmas.

The walls, some of which are already in place, are the strongest signal yet of the Iraqi government’s determination to avoid a repeat of the 31st October massacre at Baghdad’s Syrian Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation where 58 people were killed and more than 70 others were injured.

It comes amid reports of Christmas activities in both cities being scaled back to reduce the security threat.

Normally Christmas celebrations would involve parties in church halls and parks but this year Church leaders have instructed the faithful to restrict their festivities to the absolute minimum to reduce the security risk.

Desperation and sadness

Speaking from northern Iraq in an interview with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil said: “The sadness of the people is everywhere. Uncertainty is everywhere. The question on everyone’s lips is ‘What’s next?’

“There is a kind of desperation. But whatever happens, the people are determined to celebrate the Christmas liturgy by any means possible.”

Describing the concrete barriers and associated security measures as “making you feel you are entering a military camp”, Archbishop Warda nonetheless praised the government for taking steps to improve security.

The archbishop explained that government officials had contacted parish priests asking if they wanted the security walls around their churches.

Many clergy have given their approval to the plans while others said they felt the measures would simply intimidate an already fearful Christian community

The archbishop was speaking after reports that at least 2,000 Christians from Mosul and Baghdad had fled since the upsurge of violence climaxing with the 31st October massacre.

Aid to the Church in Need last week announced a series of emergency aid packages for displaced Christians fleeing to the north and east of the country, with ongoing support for refugees in neighbouring Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

The charity agreed to send €25,000 providing Christmas food packages for displaced Christians in Zakho, which borders Turkey and Syria.

The aid is being delivered by a team of volunteers – many of them youngsters – led by the Chaldean Sisters of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate.

Other ACN help includes €15,000 for the victims of the 31st October massacre and their families plus a further €10,000 for displaced Christians arriving in the northern and eastern Iraqi cities of Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah.

Archbishop Warda said: “ACN’s help is being welcomed with joy by the people. They feel very grateful and they are encouraged by the fact that they are being remembered by others more fortunate than themselves.”

Tomorrow, Tuesday December 14, a delegation of Iraqi bishops will be at the European Parliament speaking about the difficulties that Christians meet everyday in Iraq. The delegation includes Mgrs. Shlemon Warduni, Baghdad Apostolic Vicariate, and the Syrian-Catholics Archbishops : Mgrs. Matti Shaba Matoka (Baghdad) and Mgrs. Georges Casmoussa (Mosul).

Aid to the Church in Need is prioritising help for the Middle East in line with a request from Benedict XVI.

In 2007 the Pope asked the charity to help the Middle East where he said “the local Church is threatened in its very existence”.

For more information about how to make a donation for Christians in Iraq, please visit www.acn-intl.org and find your national office.