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Gallery|The Iraq War: 20 years on

Mosul monastery holds mass 20 years after Iraq War

The Iraqi city’s Christian community was driven out by an ISIL occupation and successive waves of violence.

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For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
Archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa, second from left, head of the Chaldean Diocese of Mosul and Aqra, with Bishop Paul Thabet Habib Yousif Al Mekko, right, pastor of the Chaldean Diocese of Alquoch, holding mass on Sunday. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
By Ismael Adnan
Published On 29 Mar 2023

Mosul, Iraq- For years, Mosul’s Christians haven’t been able to worship in their churches as their city was racked with insecurity and violence.

But earlier this week, they celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Deir Mar Mikhael (Monastery of Saint Michael) for the first time in more than 20 years.

The Sunday mass was held by Archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa, head of the Chaldean diocese of Mosul and Aqra, who told Al Jazeera of his happiness with being able to do this after so long.

“We hope that we can continue our prayers in all the destroyed churches and monasteries that were destroyed and their believers displaced,” he said.

The residents of Mosul have lived in insecurity since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. In June 2014, the city was taken by the ISIL (ISIS) armed group, which held it till July 2017. But even after their city was liberated, the people of Mosul suffered scattered attacks that added to the feeling of being unsafe.

“After 2003, as Christians, we used to stay at home for long periods and deliberately not go to churches and monasteries because of the bad security conditions and threats to Christians,” Hamid Tuzi, 31, told Al Jazeera.

“Christians were frequently targeted, many people were threatened and emigrated, and many priests were killed.”

Archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa told Al Jazeera: “Mar Mikhael [is known as] the angels’ companion due to his highness of virtue and lofty morals.”

When ISIL controlled Mosul, many churches and monasteries were destroyed and many are still damaged, despite it being six years since the city’s liberation.

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Ezzat Sami, 69, moved away from Mosul in 2014 when it was taken by ISIL, taking up residence in Duhok in the Kurdish region of Iraq. But he comes back to visit Mosul a lot and told Al Jazeera he was “happy that we can come to mass again after a long time and remember the old days and remember our relatives who passed away or who left Iraq. I remembered my deceased father.”

For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
Archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa gives communion to a woman during mass at Deir Mar Mikhael, northwest of Mosul. The monastery, which is named after its builder, dates back to the fourth century. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
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For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
"For 20 years, we have lived with all the events, including killings, kidnappings, and explosions," Hamid Tuzi said. The congregation was very happy and relieved to hold a mass again at Deir Mar Mikhael. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
"Muslims used to share our joys and sorrows, we were brothers and still are. The monastery guard is Muslim. When we celebrated Mass two days ago, the residents of the area welcomed us very much," Ezzat Sami told Al Jazeera. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
The monastery was last restored in 1982, according to Moussa. Nuns pray during a mass commemorating the patron saint at Deir Mar Mikhael. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
"This liturgy will be the beginning of the reconstruction of the monastery in the near future and the return of prayers to it with donations from the church's sons and believers," Archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa, centre, said. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
The damaged altar is seen. A number of churches are now being reconstructed by UNESCO and with the support of the UAE, other churches are being rebuilt through efforts and donations of the congregation. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
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For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
"ISIL looted all the property of the monastery and deliberately vandalised and distorted it with graffiti. The monastery was also bombed by planes because ISIL was sheltering in it and using it to store weapons and manufacture explosives," Moussa told Al Jazeera. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
"I remember the last time we came to the monastery before the fall of Iraq in the hands of the US. We used to come every year at the beginning of spring. We would attend mass then we'd picnic. We'd gather in the monastery's yard. We would bring food with us and stay till the sun set," Ezzat Sami told Al Jazeera. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
Nuns inspect damaged parts of Deir Mar Mikhael. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
"The area where the monastery sits was known to the Mosulites as 'Hawi al-Kanisa' in reference to it [having been] a church, hundreds of years ago," Archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa told Al Jazeera. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
Since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, the residents of Mosul have lived in insecurity. In June 2014, the city was taken by the ISIL armed group till July 2017. But even after, Mosulites suffered scattered attacks that added to the feeling of being unsafe. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
When ISIL controlled Mosul, many churches and monasteries were destroyed and many are still damaged, despite it being six years since the city's liberation. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
Archbishop Najib Mikhael Moussa shows Al Jazeera around the monastery. Behind him is an inscription that reads "God is great" in Arabic. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]
For the first time in more than 20 years, a mass was held at St. Michael's Monastery in Mosul, northern Iraq
Six years after Mosul's liberation, only 50 families have returned out of 50,000 Christians who lived there before. Most stayed away because their homes and churches were destroyed. But some Christians go there daily from the Kurdish regions to work or study. [Ismael Adnan/Al Jazeera]