Fighting to survive as a church

On August 23rd, the patriarchs of the four ancient churches of Northern Iraq gathered for a unique and historic joint service in a church in Dahuk, the major town in the area of Kurdistan to which most of the estimated 670,000 newly displaced have fled, including thousands of Christians. In a rare demonstration of unity, the four patriarchs fielded questions from the audience: five displaced Christians had been selected to address the church leadership, and they used the occasion to vent their anger, frustration and despair, but also to call for concrete solutions to their dilemma of now living away from their ancient homeland, seemingly without any hope of ever returning.
In a unique display of resolve, but also despair, the patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church, Aphrem the Second, called on the Christians to defend themselves once Islamic State is defeated and the Christians are allowed to return to their ancient homeland on the Nineveh Plain.
The pain and agony was felt in every word that evening!

Kim Hartzner, MD, Managing Director

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Aphrem II is the patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church. He became the 123rd Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch when he was enthroned as patriarch in Damascus on May 29, 2014. Before his election to the patriarchate, he was Archbishop for the Eastern United States of America.
Speaking to the faithful, the Patriarch opened the service with words of encouragement to the Christians in the East and chastisement of Christians in the West:
“For others this message is difficult, our lives and our examples. And when we just wish to live in peace they take a disliking to our ways and to us. Of course our peace is from God and our happiness is from God, and this peace and happiness no one can take away from us. And our fathers who went before us were happy as well, but were killed for this very reason. They did not understand why they were killed. They were amazed at what had happened. Our Jesus Christ said: Let this happiness be in you, and for this happiness you have to pay something. And here we are paying the price we are paying in this world.
We thank God that despite the circumstances you are able to find a place to stay in big halls and with the church. This is different from so many others who have nowhere to stay and who must stay outside, and under the trees
But even so we know you all want to return to your houses. When you return you will not find the houses the way in which you left them, because there will be nothing left. Because the people who are not afraid of God have destroyed everything you had. But we trust that our God will give you more than what you left there, because he will never forget you......