"We Iraqi Catholics are back!"

ISIS left death and destruction in Iraq. ACN has been helping Iraqi Christians to rebuild their homes and lives. ACN helped to rebuild St. Joseph Chaldean Centre in Karamlesh. Recently two young Catholics who a few years earlier fled ISIS celebrated their wedding at the rebuilt centre.

By ACN Staff

Rami and Rita’s wedding. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

In August 2014, ISIS swept through much of Iraq. This included the Christian heartland of Iraq, the Nineveh Plain. Thousands of Christians fled their homes ahead of the Islamists’ advance. Many of the Christians fled to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish autonomous region. This included the residence of the Chaldean Catholic village of Karamlesh. The village is important to the Chaldean Catholic Church, with three previous Chaldean Patriarchs coming from Karamelsh. Almost all the residents of Karamelsh fled in advance of ISIS.

Destruction left by ISIS in Karamlesh. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

Once they had occupied Karamelsh, the Islamist fighters of ISIS desecrated the local cemetery and set the Church of St Adday on fire destroying it. ISIS turned the Church of St Barbara into their headquarters in Karamlesh and also punched holes in the walls of and dug tunnels in the Church of St Joseph and the Shrine of St Barbara to allow for easier movement in the buildings. In addition to this the Islamists painted anti-Christian slogans on the walls of the churches, such as:

“There will be no more Christianity in Iraq.”

On 24th October 2016, the Iraqi Army liberated Karamelsh. Gradually, some of the Catholic residents began to return to their homes. Amongst those to have fled were two young Catholics called Rita and Rami. Rita was 16 years-old and Rami was 22 years when they were forced to leave Karamlesh. The two had known of each other in Karamlesh but not well. Having both fled to Erbil the two became close friends.

After the liberation of Karamelsh, Rami returned and was soon followed by Rita. The task of rebuilding Karamelsh and the local churches soon began with the help of Aid to the Church in Need. Now around half of the families have returned. One of the buildings to be rebuilt was St Joseph Chaldean Centre. Rami and Rita decided to get married and start a family. Their wedding celebration was the inaugural event for the newly rebuilt St. Joseph’s Centre. This would not be possible without the support of ACN’s benefactors. Rami said the following after his wedding:

“Thank God, we Iraqi Catholics are back!”