Tags
Iraq
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Priest Killed
Father Youssef Adel (40), an Assyrian Orthodox priest, was shot dead by unknown assailants in the district of Karradah, Baghdad on April 5. At approximately 11:30 a.m., Adel was driving to a church when gunmen in another car sped past him and opened fire. Adel was the director of a high school that was attended by both Christians and Muslims. He had been the target of threats and intimidation intended to drive him away from his post.Father Adel's funeral
Photos fromAnkawa.comPray that those who mourn for Father Adel will find strength, courage and peace in Christ. Pray that believers in Iraq will set Christ apart as Lord and not be controlled by fear despite severe persecution
(1 Peter 3:14-17).For more information on the persecution of Christians in Iraq, go to theIraq Country Report.
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Archbishop Rahho Found Dead
The Voice of the Martyrs was saddened to learn that the body of kidnapped Chaldean Catholic archbishop Paulus Faraj Rahho was found in a shallow grave outside the city of Mosul on March 13. He was kidnapped on February 29 after leading prayers at the Holy Spirit parish in Mosul. Three of his aides were killed in the abduction.
Church officials in Mosul reportedly had received a phone call from the kidnappers on March 12 informing them that the archbishop was dead and where they could find the body. It is not immediately clear whether the archbishop was killed or died of natural causes. There had been considerable concern for his health as he suffered from heart problems that required daily medical treatment. Nevertheless, the responsibility for this church leader's death must lie with his abductors.
Over the last eight months, attacks on Iraqi Christians have been escalating. In June, Father Ragheed Gani and three deacons were killed, two priests were kidnapped in October, and in January four churches and a convent were bombed.
Pray that Archbishop Rahho's co-workers and congregants will find strength, courage and peace in Christ. Ask God to raise up other cross-bearing disciples to continue His work in Iraq (Matthew 16:24).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Iraq, go to theIraq Country Report.
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Archbishop Kidnapped in Mosul
At approximately 5:30 p.m. on February 29, armed men kidnapped Chaldean Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho (65) after ambushing him as he was leaving the Holy Spirit parish in Mosul. The men shot and killed the priest's driver and two guards before abducting him.On March 2, the Syriac Christian archbishop of Mosul began negotiating with the kidnappers for Rahho's release after receiving a phone call from the kidnappers. The next day, the kidnappers again contacted church officials using Rahho's cell phone and raised the initial ransom amount. At last report, the ransom amount was set at $1.8 million. The captors have yet to give any indication of Rahho's wellbeing. There is considerable concern for his health as he suffers from heart problems that require daily medical treatment. Rahho has reportedly been threatened several times by militant groups demanding extortion money. Local believers see the abduction as an attempt to intimidate and frighten Mosul's Christian community.
Pray that Father Rahho will be released. Pray that he will rely on the Lord to sustain and protect him. Pray that Christians in Mosul will not give in to fear but continue to trust in God (2 Timothy 1:7).
For more information on the persecution of Christains in Iraq, go to theIraq Country Report.
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More Churches Bombed
Two car bombs were detonated within two minutes of each other outside churches in the northern Iraq city of Kirkuk on January 9. A bomb exploded at approximately 4:40 p.m. outside the Cathedral of Kirkuk and was followed by another blast less than a mile away, outside the Assyrian Christian Maar Afram church. Buildings, cars and surrounding houses were damaged in the explosions but no people were injured. The attacks came three days after four churches and three convents were damaged in similar coordinated bombings.
Pray for protection of Iraqi Christians as they serve God in this tense region. Pray that they will stand firm in their faith at all cost. Pray that they will not be fearful but trust in the Lord to sustain and guide them
(Rev. 2:10).For more information on the persection of Christians in Iraq, go to theIraq Country Report.
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Churches and Convents Bombed
Four churches and three convents were damaged in coordinated bombings in Iraq on January 6, a day on which many Iraqi Christians celebrate either the Feast of Epiphany or Christmas Eve.According to numerous reports, the blasts occurred within five minutes of each other at approximately 11:00 a.m. and involved mortar shells, explosive devices and car bombs. In Baghdad, the St. George Chaldean Church in Ghadir quarter, a Chaldean convent in the Zaafaraniya quarter and a Greek-Melkite parish were attacked. In Mosul, the St. Paul Chaldean Church and the House of the Holy Spirit, a Chaldean convent, were simultaneously bombed. A Dominican convent in Nineveh was also attacked and an Ancient Assyrian Church in the al-Nur district was damaged when a parked car blew up outside the building. At least six people were injured, one of them seriously, in the explosions.
Pray for Iraqi Christians as they deal with the effects of this attack. Pray for healing for those injured. Ask God to enable Iraqi Christians to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer as they suffer for Him (Romans 12:12).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Iraq, go to theIraq Country Report.
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Iraqi Priests Released
Father Pius Affas (60) and Father Mzen Ishoa (35), two priests who were kidnapped by unidentified assailants in the city of Mosul on October 13 (click here for more details), were released on the morning of October 22. Both are reportedly in good health.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Iraq, go to theIraq Country Report.
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Two Christian Priests Kidnapped in Mosul
Two Christian priests, Father Pius Affas (60) and Father Mzen Ishoa (35), were kidnapped by unidentified men in Mosul on the afternoon of October 13. Late that afternoon, the kidnappers spoke with Archbishop Basile George Casmoussa and demanded a ransom of $1 million dollars for their release. Bishop Carsmoussa, however, told them that it was not possible to raise these funds. Negotiations are reportedly still underway to secure the priests' freedom. The exact motive for the kidnapping has yet to be determined but it is suspected to be connected to an Islamic group called "Jihad and Tawhid." This group sent letters to Father Addas' church approximately two months ago that threatened to attack the church if the congregation did not flee the area.Pray that these priests will be released. Pray that they will keep their eyes on Jesus, persevere in their faith, and not grow weary or lose heart (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3). Pray that their loved ones will rely on God in this uncertain time. Pray that the kidnapping of priests in Iraq will cease.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Iraq, go to theIraq Country Report.
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Christian Killed By Militants in Baghdad
A Christian man named Fouad Salim (32) was killed by Muslim militants while leaving the police station he worked at in Baghdad on June 12, according to a June 27 report from Compass Direct. Salim's family believes that he was killed because of his refusal to convert to Islam. He had informed his family that anonymous people he believed to be Muslim militants had been threatening to kill him if he did not convert. Salim is survived by a wife, a five-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter.Ask the Lord to give comfort to Fouad's wife, children and others who mourn for him. Pray that they will find peace in the fact that the Lord will be exalted, whether in life or in death (Philippians 1:20). Pray that those who persecute Christians in Iraq will come to repentance and accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
For more information on persecution in Iraq,click here.
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Christians Killed, Convent Attacked and Churches Looted
The Voice of the Martyrs received several incidents of attacks on Christians in Iraq over the past week including the martyrdom of a priest and three church leaders in Mosul, Iraq.At approximately 6:40 pm on June 3, Father Ragheed Ganni (35), Basman Yusef, Waheed Isho and Ghasan Bidawid were leaving the Church of the Holy See when some armed men forced them out of their vehicle and shot them. Ganni was shot fifteen times before the assailants drove off with his car. Ganni's church has been attacked several times in recent years and it was bombed on May 27. Isho, in his late thirties, is survived by a wife and four children. Both Yusef and Bidawid were in their mid-twenties and were unmarried.
There were three attacks on Christian buildings in the Dora district of Baghdad, where the Christian community has increasingly been under fire. On May 31, unidentified assailants that local Christians suspect were Shiite militants occupied a convent belonging to the Chaldean Sisters of the Sacred Heart, according to a June 1 report from Asia News. While the nuns who lived in the convent were away, the assailants broke into the building, robbed it of all its goods and set it up for military operations.
On June 4, three Christian guards were killed when the St. Jacob Church near the Asia Neighbourhood of Dora was looted. Local Muslims intend to turn the building into a mosque. That same day, the St. John the Baptist Church near the Assyrian quarter of the district was also looted.
Pray that attacks on Iraqi Christians will cease. Pray that those who mourn the loss of loved ones will find comfort in the fact that those who die in Christ with be raised with Him (1 Corinthians 15:50). Pray the Lord will strengthen Iraqi Christians to remain faithful to Him at all cost.
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Iraq,click here.
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Assyrian Church Bombed in Baghdad
A group of armed Muslim men set fire to the St. George Assyrian Church in Dora district of Baghdad on May 18, according to a May 22 report from Compass Direct. The Muslims poured gasoline on the church before setting it on fire. This church was bombed in a series of attacks on Assyrian churches in 2004. Over the past four weeks, the threats against the Iraqi Christian community in Dora have intensified. Many Christian families have fled the area or sought refuge in local churches.Destruction of St. George's Church
Photos fromCompass DirectPray that those who seek to hinder the work of the Church in Iraq will come to repentance and respond to God's grace (Acts 9:1-19). Pray for church leaders as they provide encouragement and hope to their congregations in this difficult time.
For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Iraq,click here.
