You are here : Home News Iraq: 2,000 Christians killed, 600,000 have fled nation since 2003

Attention: open in a new window. PDFPrintE-mail

Iraq: 2,000 Christians killed, 600,000 have fled nation since 2003

CWNews.com - In the seven years since the Iraq War was launched, 2,000 Christians have been murdered and 600,000 have fled Iraq, according to Fides, the news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. 44% of Iraqi refugees are Christians, and many of the 600,000 Christians who remain are internally displaced persons who have had to flee their homes.

“The life of Christians in this nation does not appear to be among the priorities,” said Chaldean Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni on the eve of the March 7 parliamentary elections. “We are victims of fanaticism and general instability, which leaves a free hand to those who want to use violence to intimidate. The causes are many and varied, but the end seems clear: continually reduce the Christian presence in Iraq, marginalize it, and deprive it of any rights.”

Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

No Hiding Allowed

When You will come to earth in glory, O God, * all things will tremble and the river of fire shall flow before Your judgment seat; * and the books will be opened and all hidden things revealed. * Deliver me, from the unquenchable fire * and make me worthy to stand at your right hand, O righteous Judge.

Wisdom from the Church Fathers

[The Lord] is always knocking at the doors of our hearts, that we may open to Him, that He may enter in and rest in Our souls, and we may wash and anoint His feet, and He may make His abode with us. The Lord in that passage reproaches the man who did not wash His feet (Luke 7:44); and again He says elsewhere, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if any man will open unto Me, I shall come in unto him" (Rev. 3:20). To this end He endured to suffer many things, giving His own body unto death, and purchasing us out of bondage, in order that He might come to our soul and make His abode with it.. ..His food and His drink, His clothing and shelter and rest is in our souls. Therefore He is always knocking, desiring to enter into us.. Let us then receive Him, and bring Him within ourselves; because He is our food and our drink and our eternal life, and every soul that has not now received Him within and given Him rest, or rather found rest in Him, has no inheritance in the kingdom of heaven with the saints, and cannot enter into the heavenly city.. But Thou, Lord Jesus Christ, bring us thereunto, glorifying Thy name, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever. Amen

St Macarius the Great
ByzCath.org is an unofficial site supporting, but not connected with the official Church. We strive to provide accurate news and information about the Byzantine Catholic and other Eastern Christian Churches. If you believe we have failed in this task please let us know. Contents copyright ©1996-2011. All rights reserved.

Joomla Template by NinjaTheme