Ankawa Youth Meetings 2024

Almost annually, the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil organizes the biggest gathering event for the catholic youth of Iraq in the town of Ankawa. These youth meetings invite youth to participate all the way from Basrah up until Zakho; young people aged 18-40 all register to attend this event which is usually held during the summer. Ankawa Youth Meetings (AYM) have thus become a meeting point for youth from different cities, coming together to announce their Christian faith and bringing with them their backgrounds, knowledge, experiences and joy. The AYM event for 2024 was launched under the theme of “Amoris Laetitia” or the Joy of Love, inspired by Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation released in 2016, after the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2014 and the Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2015, also known as the Synod on the Family 2014-2015. The AYM took this letter as the main theme for those meetings, hence emphasizing the importance of Joy and Love and the vocation of Marriage and Family. The first day began with a performance by the Choir of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, which was led by Maestro, Sr. Narjis SHJ. The hymns performed were mostly reflecting the beauty of love and some were inspired by the Book of the Song of Songs. Following this, two discussion panels were conducted. During the first panel, Fr. Salem Saka, the President of the Unified Catholic Ecclesiastical Court in Iraq, spoke about the legal matters within Catholic marriages such as; restoring relationships, annulments, the tolerance of ecclesiastic courts and more; followed by reflections from married couples regarding their experiences. Moreover, throughout second panel, Fr. Fadi Leon, Director of St. Peter’s Seminary 2010-2015, and holder of a Masters Degree in Dogmatic Theology, spoke about the effects of Social Media on relationships, the role of TV shows in shaping certain expectations about marriage, and behaviors adapted within marriage through the influence of social media. Followed by reflections from a married couple regarding these matters. After the panel discussions, another recital was performed by Christian Najar, a Christian singer who participated all the way from Lebanon, to enrich the event with her gentle voice as she chanted during the event. The second day started by a celebration of the Holy Mass; followed by a series of lectures on the Role of Education in Forming a Family of Love and Joy; the Issues that Rise within Families; and the Power of Forgiveness. During those lectures, priests, religious sisters, and married couples, each reflected upon their area of expertise, helping the youth understand the Pope’s Letter for families. The second day included several entertaining activities. Later in the evening, participants joined a Holy Hour which included Prayers and Meditations as well as chants. The Sacrament of Confession was also provided that evening. The event concluded with the celebration of the Holy Mass the day after, at the Cathedral. After Mass, H. G. Archbishop Warda announced the plan for the next AYM which is aimed to take place during 2025 the Jubilee year. This upcoming event aims to showcase the Sacrament of the Priesthood.