01/03/2019 Iraq (International Christian Concern) –  Iraqi authorities have marked the Chaldean Catholic Church of Divine Wisdom, located in Baghdad, for demolition as part of a redevelopment program. This program seeks to address damages done in Baghdad during and after the 2003 war.

Muslims joined Christians during the New Year in staging a protest against the church’s demolition. The protestors argued that the church’s demolition is driven by commercial and political interests. They further stated that the church has significant symbolic importance to the community, as it stands as a symbol of interfaith coexistence in Iraq.

Many churches in Baghdad and across Iraq have been emptied of its congregation due to the mass immigration of Christians from the country. Intense, violently high levels of persecution have prompted this immigration. Empty churches are often subsequently shuttered, and eventually the property is transformed into something else. While commercial interests are a driver, it is also not uncommon for empty churches to be converted into mosques, as ICC reported this past September.

For interviews with Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected].