Al-Tahira Church in Qaraqosh (Baghdeda) was almost completely destroyed during the ISIS terror regime (2014-2017). Thanks to the generous support of ACN benefactors, the church has been rebuilt over the course of the last few years and is now almost fully restored. Pope Francis has confirmed that he will visit the Marian basilica on Sunday, March 7 during his visit to the country. Fr. Ammar Yako is overseeing the reconstruction.
What is the history of the church of Al-Tahira?
The construction of Al-Tahira Church in Qaraqosh began in 1932. The entire population of Qaraqosh helped in the work and contributed voluntarily to its construction, which was completed in 1948, when the church was inaugurated. It was a good way for people to show their faith. We know many stories about the time of the construction of the church from our parents and grandparents. Thanks to their hard work this great church was erected.
What did the church look like after the ISIS invasion and destruction?
As you know, in 2014 ISIS conquered the city and we fled to Kurdistan. After three years the city was liberated and we returned. I remember very well how destroyed the church was. It was completely burnt. They destroyed all the crosses, stole what was inside the church, the images and everything else. ISIS leaders wrote their names on the columns of the church, and used the outside of the church as a training ground for new ISIS fighters.
How did you feel when you first returned and saw so much destruction?
When I saw the church destroyed and burnt, I first felt a great sadness. It was so sad to see the house of God empty and destroyed like that. But at the same time I felt joy and happiness to go back to the city and re-enter the church. So there was joy and sorrow at the same time.
What does it mean to you to be responsible for the reconstruction?
When the bishop asked me to lead the reconstruction team, it was a very happy moment for me because I remembered all those people who helped in the past to build the church, our parents and grandparents; I felt united with all those who shared their faith.
How has the reconstruction evolved?
The reconstruction started in 2019. The first phase of the work consisted of fixing the pillars, which took until the end of 2019. In 2020 we started the second and third phases, the reconstruction of the church inside and outside. Thank God, we have reached the final phase of the reconstruction, and we hope to finish all aspects of the reconstruction of the church soon.
What was the reaction of the community of believers to the rebuilding of the church?
The reconstruction of Al-Tahira church is very important for the Qaraqosh community. All the people here feel it is their home, part of their history. So it is very important to reopen the church. Of course, in Qaraqosh we started by helping people to rebuild their houses, also with the help of ACN. When we finished, many people asked us when we were going to start rebuilding the church. Thank God, we are almost finished. I feel that people are looking forward to being able to come back here and pray again and show everyone that their church is open and that we can pray to God again in this church.
What does the Popes visit mean to you?
It is great to be here at this moment in Qaraqosh to welcome our Pope. When it was announced that the Pope would visit Iraq and Qaraqosh, I felt very happy to be able to welcome the Holy Father here, in this church, in this city, and share our faith together. The Pope can help us to live our faith in these times, and we can show him what our life is like as Christians here in Qaraqosh, in Iraq.
What challenges do believers face here in Iraq?
In Iraq, Christians face many challenges. First of all, they are part of this country, which is still unstable. Of course, above all, we have to serve God to help us to continue our life in Iraq. As a community, we have many other challenges. As a minority, we do not have many possibilities to work, so we have to try hard to find employment for our people. However, the biggest problem is emigration. Many families are now far away from Qaraqosh and Iraq, and if the situation does not improve many of them may not return.
Could you send a message to ACNs benefactors?
I would like to thank ACN for all it has done for us since we were displaced. When we fled from all the cities to Kurdistan, ACN supported us for three years. I thank all the benefactors for their help. When we returned to Qaraqosh, they also helped us with the reconstruction of houses and churches, and many other needs. Thank you very much and God bless you. We hope that together we can show the world our Christian faith.
Why should ACNs benefactors not forget the people of Qaraqosh?
In the current situation we still need the help of organisations, and especially ACN, for the many needs of the churches in Qaraqosh. Please continue to help us and give our community hope that we can continue to live here in Qaraqosh.
This article was first published by Aid to the Church in Need, and is republished here with kind permission. To learn more about ACNs mission to help the suffering Church visit ACNs US agency at http://www.churchinneed.org
Go here to read the rest:
Pope Francis to visit Iraqi church that was almost destroyed by ISIS - Aleteia EN
- Construction of housing project in former Church to begin with parking dispute in the rearview - Concord Monitor - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Egypt: Christian homes attacked following rumours of planned church construction | ICN - Independent Catholic News - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Moscow Patriarchy launches church building mission at Novaya Zemlya - The Independent Barents Observer - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Lawsuit: Head of the Harbor trustees broke law with vote for church project - Newsday - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- When an old church sells its building | History | newspressnow.com - News-Press Now - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- First Baptist Church of Amboy to celebrate 100th anniversary of building dedication - Shaw Local News Network - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Waterford prepares for the heartbreak of seeing its oldest church come down - Journal Times - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Why did the church collapse? South African architect says he knows - theday.com - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Craven Corp. sues Louisville Baptist Temple over development project - Canton Repository - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- A debate over the fate of Catholic Church offices and an accusation of religious bias - Idaho Statesman - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Church rebuilds a year after highway demolition | News | thefacts.com - Brazosport Facts - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Near Chicago, a Lutheran Church Finds New Life at the YMCA - Church Leaders - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Apartments to Replace 19th Century Church in Williamsburg - Brownstoner - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Saint Patrick Church reopens three years after a fire - WFMJ - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Sale of church building to benefit two congregations - Central Penn Business Journal - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Historic Reflection: Pioneer Methodist Episcopal Church - The Village Reporter - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Church-to-treatment center project up for approval in St. Cloud - Finance and Commerce - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Fort Scott parishioners will return 'home' after construction of new church is finished - Catholic Diocese of Wichita - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Areas to open on Temple Square; Assembly Hall to close amid construction - FOX 13 News Utah - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Temples in 2023: 8 groundbreakings but temple growth not slowing - Church News - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Construction Initiative Supports Church Growth in the Peruvian Amazon - Adventist Review - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Historic Black Waco congregation, growing Hispanic church swap buildings - Waco Tribune-Herald - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Renovations update school gym built in the 1950s - Intermountain Catholic - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Church of Jesus Christ recaps year of global charity, temple proliferation - Standard-Examiner - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- For churches devastated by Middle TN tornadoes, recovery reshapes their commitment to ministry - Tennessean - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Council Bluffs' Holy Family Church to be closed and sold - The Daily Nonpareil - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Donated property for Habitat 'cluster' home draws mixed reactions - Oklahoma City Friday - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Community Board 3 to Hear Details of Proposed 20-Story Tower ... - The Lo-Down - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Plans for the Boltex Building and Belle Reve at Walker and Church - Tribeca Citizen - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Non-profit working to meet demand in affordable housing for seniors ... - WOSU Public Media - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Inside Westminster Abbey, the heart of British monarchy, and site of King Charles coronation - Firstpost - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- New Stakes and Stake Presidencies Announced in April 2023 - Church Newsroom - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Brodsky Partners With Avery Hall on Gowanus Development - The Real Deal - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- The Dart: Ford plants roots locally with a quiet life in mind - Daily ... - Dailyleader - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Upper Saddle River residents protest Jewish development on NY ... - NorthJersey.com - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Marvin Repinski: My boat is so small, the sea is so big - Austin Daily ... - Austin Herald - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- This Chinatown is divided by a freeway. A bold project could reunify the community - The Guardian US - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Sedona Airport begins new round of construction and public input - Sedona Red Rock News - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Governor Hochul Announces $875 Million in Financing For 3100 ... - ny.gov - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Portion of Queen St. closed until 2027 for Ontario Line construction ... - NOW Toronto - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Died: Rachel Kerr James, Missionary Nurse to War-Torn Vietnam ... - ChristianityToday.com - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Albion native chronicles rise and fall of Medina Sandstone industry - Orleans Hub - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- On the Porch | News, Sports, Jobs - Marshall Independent - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Powerhouse Church in 1, 000 capacity auditorium construction project ... - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Construction begins on new Victory Church | CIProud.com - CIProud.com - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- California Churches Want to Build Affordable Housing on Their Land, So Why Is It So Hard? - KQED - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Construction to begin at new Elmwood Village playground - WGRZ.com - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- First Presidency names 2 temples: Teton River Idaho and Birmingham England - Church News - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Why, for Latter-day Saints, the Washington D.C. Temple is the bedrock of the community - Church News - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Catholic Charity Rallying for Support to Fund Construction of Marian Shrine in Angola - ACI Africa - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Heres the latest on I-69 construction in Johnson County - Daily Journal - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Next phase of Huron Church construction announced, to include repairs from Tecumseh to Dorchester Road - CTV News Windsor - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Central Texas church recovering from tornado in April and now alleged theft - 25 News KXXV and KRHD - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Biden continues construction along parts of border wall started by Trump - Crux Now - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Hafners' are 2022 "Friends of the Fair" - Philip Pioneer Review - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Bucharest Archdiocese Welcomes Order to Demolish Building Near Cathedral - The Tablet Catholic Newspaper - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Southeast Park Improves Accessibility; Businesses Around the Hidden River Construction are Open; and Installation of ADA-Compliant Ramps Continues |... - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Kiambaa Church Pastor Narrates How They Were Forced to Change Its Name - Kenyans.co.ke - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Radical overhaul of major diocese announced in plan to help parishes cope with dwindling number of priests - Independent.ie - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- On its 100th anniversary, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Moves the Bones of Its First Priest to Charlotte - From the Archdiocese - Greek... - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Construction continues on what will be the largest ... - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Temple takes shape: Sacred space will be first of its kind in Arkansas - Arkansas Online - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Recipients of 2022 Alumni Awards announced - The Baylor Lariat - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- James Matthew Peter Hughes, 54, Orange - The Record Newspapers - TheRecordLive.com - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Gov. Wolf Announces $25 Million Investment in Economic Recovery for Abandoned Mine Lands - pa.gov - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Road report: KYTC District 6 update on this week's construction projects; be alert to delays, closures - User-generated content - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- $11.8 million in Bluffton construction permits issued in 2021 - Bluffton Icon - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Baton Rouge Symphony finally returns to the River Center Theatre with a packed spring season - [225] - 225 Baton Rouge - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Alessandro Bruno Obituary - The Record/Herald News - NorthJersey.com - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Parishes partner with Habitat for Humanity to take on LAs homeless crisis - Angelus News - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Letters to the Editor: Housing, environment and the bishop of Fall River - Cape Cod Times - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Converted Summerhill church ticked all the right boxes - The Globe and Mail - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Mexicos Mayan Train: Will it hurt those its meant to help? - The Christian Science Monitor - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Structural issues at arts center an 'existential threat' to building, mission - The Suffolk News-Herald - Suffolk News-Herald - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Massive Restoration Of Logan Square's 109-Year-Old 'Red Church' Nearly Complete - Block Club Chicago - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- With a Veto by the Mayor, the Buckhead Church Development Hits a Snag - What Now Atlanta - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- New Coffee House Opening in Rock Island Mall - WQAD.com - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- Gregory Wilder: Could the LDS Church single-handedly solve world hunger? - Salt Lake Tribune - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- James Marvin Anderson Jr. | News, Sports, Jobs - The Journal - NUjournal - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- John Martin Bell, 91 - Southern Maryland News Net - Southern Maryland News Net - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]