Posted on 09/02/2014 8:49:53 PM PDT by GonzoII
Baghdad (AsiaNews) - Islamic State fighters spills more Christian blood in Iraq as they continue to persecute unarmed civilians, including children.Sources within the Chaldean Patriarchate told AsiaNews that yesterday Sunni fundamentalists tortured and killed a Christian man in Bartala, a small predominantly Syriac town in the Niniveh Plains that has been occupied by Jihadists for the past few weeks. He was part of a small group who did not flee when the place was overrun.
According to reports from a witness, the martyr - as the Patriarchate calls him - was a man of 43, Salem Matti Kourki. He died yesterday after being brutally beaten and tortured by terrorists for refusing to convert to Islam.
One of Salem's relatives said that the victim could not flee with his family when Islamists entered the town of Bartala on 8 August because he suffered from heart disease.
He was holed up in his home for more than three weeks, eating and drinking what had been stockpiled in the house.
Yesterday, after he ran out of food and water, he went out to find some food. However, he was stopped at an IS checkpoint in front of the Church of the Virgin Mary, in the city centre, and was immediately arrested. IS fighters tried to convert him by force to Islam but he refused outright.
The fundamentalists beat and tortured him causing his death, then dumped his body in the street, which was found a few hours later by local residents, who took him and buried him.
A funeral service will be held on Friday at the Oum El Nour Syriac Orthodox Church in Ankawa, a Christian suburb of Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan, to honour the memory of the martyr Salem.
(Excerpt) Read more at asianews.it ...
Martyrs are held in high esteem by our Lord. I can only hope that if I were ever to find myself in his position, I would have the courage to do as he did.
Prayers for the family and friends of Salem Matti Kourki.
Praying for the soul of Salem Matti Kourki as well as his family and the church there in Iraq.
Prayer for Iraq
O God, who art the unsearchable abyss of peace,
the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings
and the bestower of affection,
who sendest peace to those that receive it;
Open to us this day the sea of thy love
and water us with plenteous streams
from the riches of thy grace
and from the most sweet springs of thy kindness.
Make us children of quietness and heirs of peace,
enkindle in us the fire of thy love;
sow in us thy fear;
strengthen our weakness by thy power;
bind us closely to thee and to each other
in our firm and indissoluble bond of unity:
Syrian Clementine Liturgy (in: For all God’s people; p. 73)
The full text of Patriarch Sako’s prayer for peace follows:
Lord,
The plight of our country
is deep and the suffering of Christians
is severe and frightening.
Therefore, we ask you Lord
to spare our lives, and to grant us patience,
and courage to continue our witness of Christian values
with trust and hope.
Lord, peace is the foundation of life;
Grant us the peace and stability that will enable us
to live with each other without fear and anxiety,
and with dignity and joy.
Glory be to you forever. Amen.
Litany for Iraq
For lasting peace in this ancient land – From you, O Lord.
For wisdom and compassion for all in authority – From you, O Lord.
For comfort for families separated or bereaved – From you, O Lord.
For the release of captives – From you, O Lord.
For safety and security for minority communities.
For refreshment for the weary and healing for the sick – From you, O Lord.
For continuing faithfulness of the ancient churches of this land – From you, O Lord.
For tenacity of spirit for small Christian groups – From you, O Lord.
For the mutual enrichment and support of those of different Christian traditions – From you, O Lord.
You, Lord of all, we confess;
You, Lord Jesus, we glorify;
For you are the life of our bodies
And you are the Saviour of our souls.
The response in the litany and this hymn both come from the Chaldean liturgy. The ancient hymn celebrates Christ the source of resurrection in all situations of death and deprivation. (in: With All God’s People, p. 21, 22)
From Anonymous:
Father God, Our Savior and King,
We come to You in despair over the evil being done to our Middle East Christian brothers and sisters. We ask that You would put Your hand of protection upon them and that You would sustain them as You did the Israelites in the desert. Lord, cause our brothers and sisters to cry out to You for help and show them the peace that only You can give in answer to their needs. In their darkest moments, Lord, keep them, strengthen them, and comfort them. When they despair that no one is coming to help them, Lord, reveal Your glory and restore their souls.
We ask you these things in the blessed name of Your precious son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. I can only guess what I’d do if given the choice of death or denying the true God. I hope I’d do what was right.
He is at peace with the Lord. Prayers for his family and friends.
It may have helped him to be mindful that he was choosing between Heaven and hell, and that the torture they were administering was but a free sample of what Satan has to offer.
I’m reminded of Aesop’s fable, The Wind And The Sun. In this case, the more the demons tortured him, the tighter he clung to his faith. His faith was his cloak. And it served him well.
May he rest in peace, in God’s loving care and blessings.
Brilliant.
Two pictures that sum it all up.
I actually saw a Rat talking head guy on Fox today saying that ISIS did not ‘pose an existential threat to the United States.’
Morons.
Amazing juxtaposition of images.
Thank you for posting that.
May his memory be for a blessing.
May his memory be eternal.
If you ever find yourself in the same position, I pray that you’ll be armed.
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