Pope expresses concern for Iraqi Christians after two terror attacks

Published: 2004-12-08

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II expressed his concern for Christians in Iraq after terrorists made fresh attacks on two Christian sites in the northern city of Mosul. After praying the Angelus to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square Dec. 8, the pope conveyed his "spiritual closeness to the faithful, shaken by the attack." An Armenian Catholic church and the Chaldean Catholic bishop's residence were destroyed Dec. 7 in two separate bomb attacks in Mosul. The pope prayed for the intercession of the Virgin Mary to help "the beloved Iraqi people" experience "a time of reconciliation and peace." In Mosul, an armed group of commandos stormed the Armenian Catholic church at 2:30 p.m. Witnesses said the attackers ushered everyone out of the church, then detonated two bombs, leaving the church in ruins. About two hours later, another group of armed men attacked the Chaldean bishop's residence in another part of the city. The men ordered people in the building out before setting off explosives, which engulfed the residence in flames. No one was killed or injured in the two attacks, according to news reports. Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel-Karim Delly of Baghdad lamented the fresh violence and warned that local Christians were becoming "increasingly worried that they will be targets of such acts of violence." In a Dec. 7 interview with Asianews, an Italian-based missionary news agency, he said the "Iraqi government is impotent to prevent such acts." Numerous Christian sites, especially churches, have been the targets of terrorist bombings in Iraq. As a result, Christians have fled Iraq by the thousands over the last three months, usually driving to Syria or Jordan.

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