Two Historic Churches Reopen after Their Destruction by the Islamic State

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Two historic churches in Mosul, Iraq have officially reopened following years of restoration due to being destroyed by the Islamic State nearly a decade ago.

Locals, clergy, and international officials convened on Wednesday to officially open the Chaldean Catholic Church of Al-Tahira, popularly known as "The Immaculate," and the Church of Saint Thomas, a seventh-century Syriac Orthodox site, The Christian Post reported.

The Old City of Mosul, where both cathedrals are situated, was formerly under IS rule from 2014 to 2017. At that time, Al-Tahira was left in ruins due to bombing while the Church of Saint Thomas was turned into a prison. 

In 2022, restoration on both churches began, led by The Aliph Foundation, an international organization focused on heritage protection, in collaboration with Iraq's State Board of Antiquities and Heritage. Meanwhile, the Paris-based Catholic charity L'Oeuvre d'Orient managed the day-to-day restoration work under the direction of France's National Institute of Heritage.

"These churches are not just stones. They are the memory of faith, history, and community,"  said Archbishop Najeeb Michael Moussa, the Chaldean bishop of Mosul, following the ceremony.

He added that the restoration showed that "faith can be wounded but not extinguished," and that each bell strike "calls not only the faithful, but the future."

According to Syriac Press, Patriarch Louis Raphaël Sako, head of Iraq's Chaldean Church, presided over the reopening of Al-Tahira.

Sako, who was joined by Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Iraq's Minister of Culture Ahmed al-Badrani, Nineveh Governor Abdul Qadir al-Dakhil, French Ambassador Patrick Durel and representatives of UNESCO and Œuvre d'Orient, "not merely about restoring stones, but about restoring trust — a message of peace and hope for the people of Mosul and all Iraq."

He also recalled the 13 Chaldean churches and three monasteries that once existed in Mosul, in which most have since been abandoned. He told attendees that Mosul "was a Christian stronghold long before the arrival of Muslims at the end of the seventh century."

RELATED: Five Things You Can Do for Christians in Iraq, from 2014

Sako called for "mutual trust and human, fraternal, and national relations," warning that "extremism and sectarianism can never build a state or peace." He also contended that society must be rebuilt "upon the values of brotherhood, respect, and acceptance of others."

Aliph's "Mosul Mosaic" program, which included the restoration of both churches, seeks to rehabilitate cultural landmarks damaged during conflict.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages / SOPA Images / Contributor

Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.