Orthodox and Catholic churches destroyed by ISIS reopen in Iraq

Orthodox Christians in Iraq celebrate Holy Saturday in the church of the ancient Monastery of Saint Matthew. Photo: SAFIN HAMED / AFP via Getty Images

In October 2025, two ancient Christian shrines in Mosul, Iraq, reopened after years of restoration – the Syriac Orthodox Church of Saint Thomas and the Chaldean Catholic Church of Al-Tahira (“The Immaculate”), according to The Christian Post.

The churches, destroyed during the occupation of the city by Islamic State militants, have become a sign of renewed Christian presence in northern Iraq. Both temples, located in Mosul’s Old City, were almost completely leveled between 2014 and 2017. The Church of Saint Thomas was turned by the militants into a prison, while Al-Tahira was bombed. Restoration work began in 2022.

A 27-year-old Christian from Mosul who took part in the reconstruction told Vatican News that the reopening was a deeply significant moment for believers: “It is a sign of hope. It shows the Christians living abroad that things are better here now, that they can move back home,” he said.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church, the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Syria, Iraq’s Minister of Culture, and UNESCO representatives. The Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Syria emphasized that “this is not only the restoration of stones, but the restoration of trust – a message of peace and hope for the people of Mosul and all of Iraq.”

Before restoration began, the sites of both churches were cleared of mines, and from the ruins workers recovered 13th-century alabaster gates carved with images of Christ and the Apostles. New bells – cast at France’s Cornille Havard foundry, the same one that restored the bells of Notre Dame Cathedral – now ring once again over Mosul, proclaiming the return of faith and peace.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that a metro station in Tehran was named in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Read also