The situation of Christians in Iraq and the need for the country’s Christians to speak in one voice. This was the subject addressed on December 20th by the Council of the Christian Religious Leaders in Iraq that took place in the Latin Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Baghdad. The news was given by the website "Baghdadhope". The meeting, chaired by the Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeians, Emmanuel III Delly, was attended by the Bishop of the Apostolic Armenian Church, mgr. Avak Asadorian, who is at the head of the Council, mgr. Jean Sleiman, the Latin Bishop of Baghdad, and mgr. Mattia Shaba Matoka, the Syrian Catholic Bishop. The participants discussed, among other things, the idea of holding one day of spiritual retreat for the priests of all the Christian denominations existing in Baghdad and one day of prayer for the unity of Christians.” “The Chaldeian Patriarch asked to pray for "peace and security to be reinstated all over the world, especially in the Middle East, Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq". The violence, threats and abductions of which they are the victims are driving the Iraqi Christians to leave the country and find shelter abroad. According to the Auxiliary Bishop of Baghdad, mgr. Andraos Abouna, "about one half of the Christians have already left Iraq". In Syria, the local Chaldeian Patriarchate is helping at least 35 thousand of them.” “
