למרות הקשיים נוצריי עירק חוגגים ../images/Emo13.gif
למרות זריקת פצצות או ירי חמושים על הכנסיות במוסל קהילת "רוח הקודש" הקלדאנית מציינת את תפילות השבוע הקדוש בתוך אולם מוגן מחשש להתקפת פצצות ו/או חמושים כי בשעאנין התפוצצו 3 מכוניות במרחק 1.5 קילומטר מהכנסייה. האפיפיור קרא לכל נוצרי לשאת תפילה למען העם העירקי.
Attacks and threats against the often targeted Chaldean parish of the Holy Spirit continue. “We offer our suffering as a token of love for Jesus,” parishioners say. Holy Week rites take place in an underground hall to avoid explosions. Greetings are sent to the Pope, “who always holds the Iraqi people in his heart.” Mosul (AsiaNews) – Holy Week began with the sound of gunfire at Mosul’s Holy Spirit Parish Church. In this place, where religious services are held in an underground hall for security reasons because the church’s windows have all been blown out by bomb blasts and never replaced, the faithful pray and hope non-stop knowing that every time they attend mass could be their last one. Here is where AsiaNews spoke to some parishioners and heard what they had to say about the dangers and growing insecurity which despite everything have not stopped them from going to church and prepare for Easter. Last Sunday, Palm Sunday, three car bombs exploded during the afternoon Eucharistic celebration at a distance of about 1.5 kilometres but the blast was heard in a 35 kilometre radius. “The building suffered no damage nor did any faithful get hurt. Everyone was scared but no one ran away. And the parish priest (Fr Ragheed Ganni) continued the mass in the underground,” said some of the parishioners. “Bullets were flying all over the place, but we remained claim. Fr Ragheed consoled us and urged us to place our trust in God and accept these difficulties as a test of our faith,” those present said. “At this point, we felt like Jesus when he entered Jerusalem knowing that the Cross would be the consequence of His love for man,” Fr Ragheed said. “So we offered our own suffering as a token of love for Jesus.” Finally, Fr. Ragheed on behalf of his parish sent ‘Easter Greetings’ to the rest of world, especially to the Pope, “who always holds the Iraqi people in his heart.”
שאלוהים יברך אותם וישמור עליהם... אמן !