Background
As a minority in a Muslim country, Iraq’s Christians form a community with very ancient roots,
dating back to the Apostle Thomas and his disciples Addai and Mari. It was on this land that the Church of the East was born.
The past decade has been marked by the Islamic State’s seizure of the Nineveh Plains and Mosul in
2014. Christians, who had historically been numerous in this region, were violently driven out, with their numbers falling from 1.5
million in 2003 to approximately 150,000 or 200,000 today—representing 0.3% of the population.
They now face the challenge of rebuilding not only their homes and their heritage, but also, more profoundly, their communities and their place in Iraqi society. Pope Francis’s visit in 2021, as a “pilgrim of peace,” carried a powerful message of hope, reconciliation, and forgiveness.
This minority needs your help to remain on their land and regain hope.
