Christians celebrate 1st Mass in post-Daesh Mosul

By Mohamed Waleed

NINEVEH, Iraq

Christian worshippers in Iraq’s northern city of Mosul celebrated their first Mass on Sunday since Daesh overran the city in 2014.

The Mass was held at the Church of St. Paul in eastern Mosul, pastor Saad Saliwah told Anadolu Agency.

“Our church bells rang for the first time in more than three years since Daesh captured the city,” he said.

The Mass was attended by the patriarch of Iraq’s Chaldean Catholic Church, Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, and a host of religious and military figures.

In 2014, Daesh militants swept through vast swathes of territory in northern and western Iraq, including Mosul, which they declared as the capital of their self-proclaimed caliphate.

Thousands of Christians fled their homes in Mosul after the city fell to the terrorist group.

In August, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi announced the expulsion of Daesh from Mosul after a nine-month military campaign.