Posted on 12/26/2017 5:50:11 PM PST by marshmallow
TELESKOF, Iraq — Inside the newly renovated Church of Saint George in the northern Iraqi town of Teleskof, Hayat Chamoun Daoud led children dressed as Santa Claus singing “Jingle Bells” in Aramaic.
Like every other resident of Teleskof, this was Daoud’s first Christmas back home in three years, since Islamic State militants overran her town and forcibly displaced its 12,000-strong Chaldean Christian community.
“It’s so special to be back in my church, the church where I got married, the church I raised my children in,” the school headmistress said, with tears in her eyes.
Faced with a choice to convert, pay a tax or die, Daoud, like many other Christians in the Nineveh Plains, chose to flee. Most sought refuge in nearby towns and cities, but many sought permanent asylum abroad. Though the militants were only in Teleskof for a few days, residents only began returning home earlier this year.
On Sunday, they celebrated their first Christmas together again at the town’s main church, which was overflowing. Hundreds of congregants, dressed in their finest, poured in to pray and receive Communion from Father Salar Bodagh, who later lit the traditional bonfire in the church’s courtyard, a symbol of renewal, he said.
'Joy soaked in tears’
Despite the obvious joys of being able to celebrate openly once again, it was a bittersweet Christmas for most across the Nineveh Plains, the epicenter of Iraq’s ancient Christian communities, which can trace their history in the country back two millennia.
Though Iraq declared full victory over the militants just two weeks ago after a brutal three-year war, the damage done to Christian enclaves was extensive, and left many wondering whether they could overcome their recent history.
ISIS ravaged Christian areas, looting and burning down homes and churches, stripping them of all valuable artifacts......
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Thank you President Trump for this victory
Thanks to your magnificent military strategy ISIS have been all but defeated and the celebration of Christ can happen openly in Iraq
Always remember that Christians in Iraq were generally safe under Saddam. They didn’t start getting slaughtered until Georege Bush invaded, toppled Saddam and let the jihadis start running wild
As bad as he was, Saddam had his boot on the jihadists. We took his boot off, and all hell broke loose
I wouldn’t be celebrating too loud over there.
Most of the Christians had already left Iraq by the time we got there.
“Most of the Christians had already left Iraq by the time we got there.“
So where did these guys come from then, Skippy?
L
true - Iraqi Christians were thriving until the NeoCons overthrew Saddam
ditto Syria
and note 30-50% of Pakistians are Christians
Good news. ISIS is GONE.
Tell that to the MSM.
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