First Christmas Mass in Mosul Since 2014—Muslims Lend a Hand

Aid to the Church in Need ^ | 1/9/18 | ACN Staff

[marshmallow]

IN MOSUL, Iraq’s second largest city, Christmas bells rang out again this year for the first time in four years. During the preceding years this once so familiar sound had no longer been heard. Now, thanks to the ouster of ISIS from the city, Christians were able to celebrate Christmas Mass in the church of Mar Boulus (Saint Paul) in the Al-Mundshen suburb of Mosul.

However, the joyful event almost didn’t happen. Right up until Christmas it had been nearly impossible for Christians to clean their church in Mosul. But then a group of young Muslims took the initiative, helping with the clean-up and even re-erecting the cross; in a sign of reconciliation, the Muslims also invited all Christians in the region to celebrate Christmas in Mosul.

Ranking prelates from various Churches celebrated the liturgy in Mosul especially for 400 displaced Christian families. The proceedings were led by Patriarch Louis Raphael I Sako and Bishop Shlemun Warduni of Babylon, Shlemun Warduni—both Chaldeans); the Syriac Catholic Archbishop Youhanna Moutros Moshe of Mosul, and the Syriac Orthodox Bishop Nicodemus Daoud Matti Sharaf. Also among the guests of honor were the presidents of the universities of Mosul und Nineveh.

While most displaced Christians from Mosul are still living in Kurdistan, the first 60 families have recently decided to return to Mosul, reported Patriarch Sako. “The efforts of the Churches to recreate a stable and peaceful environment for the local population have borne further fruit,” said Father Andrzej Halemba, who oversees Middle East projects for our organization.

“Let us hope that the light of Jesus may shine in people’s hearts and bring light to our wounded world,” said the Dominican Father Najeeb Michaeel, who referred to this special Christmas service as one of the absolute highlights of recent months.

In 2003, there were some.....

[sargon]

However, the joyful event almost didn’t happen. Right up until Christmas it had been nearly impossible for Christians to clean their church in Mosul. But then a group of young Muslims took the initiative, helping with the clean-up and even re-erecting the cross; in a sign of reconciliation, the Muslims also invited all Christians in the region to celebrate Christmas in Mosul.

Touching. And a stinging rebuke—as if from Christ himself—to those who engage in knee-jerk bigotry, disparaging Muslims en masse...

[Billyv]

The biggest blessing in the Middle East is the number of young Muslims coming to faith in Jesus Christ. Conversions in Iran are numbered in millions through underground churches as in Acts. The more persecution, the more conversion.

Look also at former block countries, Hungary,Poland, the Czech Republic’s. They know firsthand the evil of Atheism and Islam. Pray that God will continue to use his people.

[vooch]

bet McCain, the CIA, and Pentagon are unhappy their jihadists lost

[kdot]

Trump told the world we would start saying merry Christmas again... thank you president trump

[punknpuss]

In a Voice of the Martyrs interview I heard that the prayers that were needed by persecuted Christians is that the nation of Iran and other nations like it remain “closed” and that we should pray that Christians remain invisible to the eyes of her enemies so that they could continue the good work of evangelizing. I imagine that in the darkness of closed countries the light of Christ must be absolutely brilliant and inviting while in “open” countries like ours apathy is rampant.

[Bringbackthedraft]

Muslims took the initiative, helping with the clean-up and even re-erecting the cross; in a sign of reconciliation, the Muslims also invited all Christians in the region to celebrate Christmas in Mosul. ......................... Kurds comes quickly to mind, the southern Shiites not.