Hope in Iraq: Churches full as 1,500 children celebrate first Communion

Over 450 boys and girls received their first holy Communion during liturgies held over the past month in various churches of the town of Qaraqosh, Iraq. Credit: Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul, Iraq

Eleven years after ISIS’s takeover of Mosul and the Nineveh Plains, Iraq’s Christian communities continue to show remarkable resilience. Despite ongoing regional tensions, churches remain full, and this year thousands of children across the country received their first Communion. In Baghdad, ceremonies took place in Chaldean and Syriac Catholic parishes, including at Our Lady of Deliverance Church, the site of a deadly 2010 attack. In Qaraqosh and surrounding towns, more than 490 children celebrated the sacrament under Archbishop Benedictos Younan Hanno, who praised the faithful for returning to their ancestral lands and preserving their traditions.

In northern Iraq, Ankawa and nearby towns hosted large celebrations led by Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda, while smaller communities like Kirkuk, Karemlesh, and Duhok also marked the occasion. Some dioceses in Basra and Sulaymaniyah postponed ceremonies due to dwindling populations, reflecting the demographic challenges still facing Christians in Iraq. Even so, the celebrations demonstrated a steadfast commitment to faith, family, and cultural heritage, offering a sign of hope for the future of these historic communities.

– Catholic News Agency