A Voice for Ankawa

Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda of the Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Erbil has called on newly installed Chaldean Patriarch Mar Paulos III Nona to advocate for Ankawa, Iraq’s largest Christian district, and help ensure its residents have a voice in decisions affecting their future. Speaking during a welcoming ceremony for the patriarch in Ankawa, Warda emphasized the city’s historic role as a stronghold of Christianity, recalling its survival through centuries of persecution and its importance as a refuge for Christians throughout Iraq’s history.

Warda highlighted Ankawa’s pivotal role during the ISIS crisis in 2014, when the town welcomed more than 13,000 displaced Christian families fleeing Mosul and the Nineveh Plain. Churches, schools, and community organizations mobilized to provide shelter and basic necessities, helping Ankawa become the largest center of Christian life in Iraq and a safe haven for those escaping violence.

The archbishop also voiced concerns about Ankawa’s future, citing issues such as political marginalization, demographic changes, and challenges to preserving the district’s Christian identity. He argued that the Church has been deliberately excluded from key decisions affecting the city since 2011 and urged young Christians to remain committed to their homeland while pursuing positive change. Despite these challenges, Warda pointed to the Church’s ongoing investments in schools, churches, healthcare, higher education, and social services, which continue to strengthen the community and support Ankawa’s approximately 75,000 Christian residents.