Inauguration ceremony of new Chaldean Catholic Church of St. Thomas the apostle in Erbil, Iraq

On Saturday, June 25, 2022, the Chaldean Diocese of Erbil celebrated the consecration and sanctification of the altar of the new Church of St. Thomas the Apostle in the city of Ankawa, in the presence of the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and the scholar Cardinal Louis Sako.

In the presence of official and religious representatives of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Chaldean Church in the city of Ankawa celebrated the inauguration of a new church to serve the faithful in the diocese, who number more than 15,000 believers. The opening ceremony was attended by bishops from the ancient Chaldean, Syriac and Eastern Church.

The decision to inaugurate the new church to serve the large number of Chaldean families in the area comes in response to reducing the great pressure on churches in the city.

The Archbishop of Erbil told the Chaldeans, Archbishop Bashar Warda, in a speech he delivered after the Divine Liturgy: “We thank everyone for your prayers and efforts in arranging and contributing to this very special celebration for Christians in the region.”

Patriarch Sako gave a speech on this occasion, in which he said: “Ankawa is a big city and a wonderful example of coexistence in Iraq, where many cities lack this example.”

Sako addressed the President of the Republic and the Iraqi government in a message that Christians should not be treated as second-class citizens. He also called on believers to protect the towns and cities in which they live through cooperation and interaction and also to claim their rights.

The church, with a total area of ​​13,000 square meters, includes halls and classrooms for Christian education, which will serve the ecclesiastical activities that will be held in El Khorna.

Thus, the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle will be the third Chaldean Church to be consecrated and opened in Erbil since 2010. Archbishop Warda stated that the diocese is working hard to complete the work on building a new church called “The Church of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph” in the town of Koysanjak, which is inhabited by a large number of people. Chaldean Church.

Patriarch Sako and Archbishop Warda thanked the Kurdistan Regional Government and its wise management for the efforts made in preserving the national fabric and cohesion among the various components in the region, especially their efforts to support Christians and the Church.