Iraqi prime minister reopens 2 historic Catholic churches in Mosul

ACI MENA, Sep 2, 2025 / 14:15 pm

In the city of Mosul, Iraq, an official celebration was held on Monday, Sept. 1, to mark the reopening of the churches of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception known as Al-Tahera Church (for Syriac Catholics) and Our Lady of the Hour (within the Dominican monastery), after their full restoration.

The event was attended by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, several government officials, and representatives of the organizations that supported the reconstruction.

Speaking inside the Church of the Immaculate Conception, al-Sudani declared: “This church rises from the rubble to represent the house where the Lord gathers people’s hearts without division or hostility in a coexistence as old as Iraq itself.” He emphasized that the reopening is a return to “the spirit of Mosul and the brotherhood that unites its people.”

Archbishop Benedictus Younan Hanno, bishop of Mosul and its surroundings for the Syriac Catholics, urged the prime minister to extend the same care shown to Iraqi heritage toward “rebuilding the Christian people.”

He stressed: “The people of Nineveh need your care and attention, and someone to listen to their cries, especially your sons and daughters from the Christian community.”

Hanno noted that around 80% of Iraq’s Christians today “suffer violations and denial of their rights,” with many forced into exile.

“Iraqi Christians migrated under compulsion, leaving their homeland in tears and pain, and they continue to look forward to returning, longing to see Iraq as a beautiful country again, able to embrace its Christian children alongside their brothers from other communities,” he said.

Following the speeches, Hanno, al-Sudani, and other participants rang the church bell and planted an olive tree in its courtyard as a symbol of peace. The prime minister then moved on to the Dominican monastery to reopen the Church of Our Lady of the Hour.

Destruction and restoration

The churches of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of the Hour, together with the Great al-Nuri Mosque and its famous leaning minaret, all located in Mosul’s Old City, suffered extensive destruction during the occupation of the city by the terrorist group ISIS (2014–2017).

After the liberation, UNESCO undertook the restoration of these landmarks as part of its “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative, rebuilding them according to their original designs. The effort was funded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the European Union (EU).

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.