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AL-QOSH, Kurdistan Region – Hundreds of the faithful visited the historic Rabban Hormizd monastery in the Christian village on al-Qosh on Monday to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the monastery.
Al-Qosh is in the Nineveh plains, nestled at the base of hills at the border of Duhok and Nineveh provinces, 100 kilometres northwest of Erbil.
The monastery was built in the 7th century. Every year, two weeks after Easter, Christians from al-Qosh and across Iraq gather to process the two kilometres up the hill to the monastery.
"We always dream to be here," said Selvana Polla, a native of al-Qosh who now lives in Michigan. "It's a holy place and it's amazing."
Iraq's Christian community is under threat, after decades of discrimination and the assault of the Islamic State (ISIS), which drove many Christians from their homes in the Nineveh plains. Over the past 15 years, the Christian population in Iraq has declined from an estimated 800,000-1.4 million to just 200,000 today, according to the US State Department.
The day ended with a picnic, with people staying on the hillside until late at night.
Al-Qosh is in the Nineveh plains, nestled at the base of hills at the border of Duhok and Nineveh provinces, 100 kilometres northwest of Erbil.
The monastery was built in the 7th century. Every year, two weeks after Easter, Christians from al-Qosh and across Iraq gather to process the two kilometres up the hill to the monastery.
"We always dream to be here," said Selvana Polla, a native of al-Qosh who now lives in Michigan. "It's a holy place and it's amazing."
Iraq's Christian community is under threat, after decades of discrimination and the assault of the Islamic State (ISIS), which drove many Christians from their homes in the Nineveh plains. Over the past 15 years, the Christian population in Iraq has declined from an estimated 800,000-1.4 million to just 200,000 today, according to the US State Department.
Richail Packpass, who travelled from Cambridge, UK, said it is important to take part in events like this keep their traditions alive, because "what we have left, us Assyrians, are our language, our traditions, and our religion. So it means a lot to us."
The day ended with a picnic, with people staying on the hillside until late at night.
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