Christian Sites in Iraq Suffer Wave of Attacks

Cardinal Delly Considers Violence a Message to West

BAGHDAD, JAN. 8, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The auxiliary bishop of the Chaldean Archdiocese of Babylon reported seven terrorist attacks against places of Christian worship in Iraq on Sunday, resulting in two injuries.

Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni said the attacks were centered around Mosul and Baghdad.

In Mosul, the places damaged were the Chaldean Church of St. Paul, the monastery of the Dominican religious sisters, the orphanage of the Chaldean religious nuns, and the Chaldean Church of the Holy Spirit.

In Baghdad, Bishop Warduni reported that the attacks took place against the Greek-Orthodox Church of St. George of Saha Al Taharriyat, the Chaldean Church of Mar Ghrogihis in Ghadir, and the Chaldean Church of St. Paul in Zafaraniya, which is joined to a monastery of Chaldean religious sisters.

Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, criticized the attacks “because places of worship are places of peace and tranquility; they are places of prayer.”

“If people attack them, perhaps it is to send a message to the government: Still, there is no peace,” he told Vatican Radio. "They want to call the attention of the West and the others, because there have also been attacks against mosques and other places of worship, although no one spoke about them.

“Therefore, these acts have certainly been committed to draw the attention of the West, so it does not think the situation in Iraq has calmed down.”

The patriarch concluded his appeal requesting prayers of all Christians of the world for his country.

“This is a duty for each one of you,” he said, “to ask the Lord of Peace to give us peace. That is all. We can do nothing more.”

 

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Some pictures of bombed church in Kirkuk on 1/9/2008