Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger | Diocese of Tucson website

The Iraqi Catholic community is feeling unsettled after Iran launched ballistic missiles, targeting upscale neighborhoods of Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. The strikes, which occurred on January 15, resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including Kurdish real estate tycoon Peshraw Dizayi and Christian businessman Karam Mikhail. Both individuals were attending a social gathering at Dizayi's home when the missiles struck. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that they were targeting a spy base for Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, near the U.S. consulate in Iraq. However, this charge has been refuted by both the region's prime minister and the United States.

In response to the missile strikes, Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani canceled a meeting with Iran's foreign minister at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Barzani described the attacks as "unjustifiable and cowardly" and called on the Baghdad government and the international community to take action against these acts of aggression.

Chaldean Catholic Archbishop Yousif Thomas Mirkis of Kirkuk and Sulaimaniya expressed his concerns about the ongoing violence in the Middle East. He described the region as "like a volcano," with the expectation that anything can happen at any time. Archbishop Mirkis attributed this volatility to the ongoing war in Gaza, troubles in Syria and Lebanon, and the targeting of commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Archbishop Mirkis also highlighted the injustices faced by Christians in Iraq, particularly caused by the government in Baghdad. One example is the revocation of the title of Chaldean patriarch from Iraq's Chaldean Catholic Cardinal Louis Sako. This action, which occurred on July 3, 2023, has undermined Cardinal Sako's position and authority within the Chaldean Church. Cardinal Sako left Baghdad in protest and remains in Irbil.

Furthermore, Archbishop Mirkis expressed concerns about the allocation of Christian seats in parliament to a militia leader, Rayan al-Kildani, who is associated with Iran. This allocation undermines the representation of Christians and gives control of Chaldean Church assets to an individual with alleged human rights abuses.

The Christian community in Iraq has also faced other challenges, such as the tragic wedding hall fire in Qaraqosh in September 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 132 individuals. This incident has led to a sense of depression and fear about the future for Christians in the region.

Despite these challenges, Archbishop Mirkis emphasized the importance of unity within the Christian community. He expressed the need for hope to be restored and called for prayers for Christian unity during the Week of Prayer from January 18 to 25.

The situation in Iraq remains tense, with Christians being targeted and facing various injustices. The international community must take these issues seriously and work towards preserving the rights of Christians and providing them with justice.