Isis razes to ground the oldest Christian monastery in Iraq, satellite images show

[n2doc]

Source: The Independent

The Isis jihadist group has completely destroyed a 1,400-year-old Christian monastery in Iraq, the oldest of its kind in the country.

Satellite images released on Wednesday by the Associated Press showed just a pile of rubble where St Elijah's Monastery used to stand on a hill above Mosul, Isis's stronghold in Iraq.

The monastery had survived as a place of Christian worship for almost one-and-a-half millenia, predating Islam itself, and had only suffered superficial damage throughout the country's most recent conflicts.

An historically significant site, the partially restored 27,000-square-foot stone building had 26 distinct rooms including a sanctuary and chapel. It still had niches where monks used to tuck candles, and the fourth century Greek "Chi-Rho" symbol, representing the name of Christ, was still visible carved into its right gatepost.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/isis-razes-to-ground-the-oldest-christian-monastery-in-iraq-satellite-images-show-a6822256.html

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[merrily]

1. These poor people! And, thanks to us, the Baghdad Museum was emptied out. Even though

Last edited Wed Jan 20, 2016, 09:09 PM - Edit history (2)

it was eventually re-opened, some of the ancient treasures have not been recovered and may never be. (See Reply 5). I had read somewhere that Christians had been so underground in Iraq that some services were said in Aramaic. I have no idea if that was true or just anti-Saddam propaganda.

(Edited to change from Syriac to Aramaic and to account for Reply 5.)

[EdwardBernays]

2. And yet

we're helping ISIS in Yemen...

sigh.

[merrily]

3. FUBAR

[EdwardBernays]

4. Yep

that's it.

[oberliner]

5. Looted Iraqi Museum in Baghdad reopens 12 years on

Iraq's national museum has officially reopened in Baghdad, 12 years after it was closed in the aftermath of the US-led invasion.

Many of the antiquities looted during the war have now been recovered and restored.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31672857

[merrily]

34. Thank you. I had actually read that at the time and forgotten. I will edit.

[oberliner]

38. You are welcome

I was glad to see that it was reopening and that many of the artifacts were recovered.

[7962]

6. I'd always heard that Saddam left the Christians alone.

As well as kept the radical Muslims under control. Which is why it was so stupid to kick that nest

[leftynyc]

8. Heard the same from

a woman from Syria whose Christian family left to escape isis.

[merrily]

32. Please see Reply 20.

Iraq did not consist only of Christians plus Saddam.

[liam_laddie]

11. Multi-Nationals...

would stop at nothing to slake their thirst for petroleum and to stuff their wallets, humans be damned!
Why aren't Rummy, Dubya, Darth and many others on trial? It's time to LOOK BACKWARD!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

18. Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz

Tariq Aziz

Tariq Aziz (... 28 April 1936 – 5 June 2015) was an Iraqi Foreign Minister (1983–1991) and Deputy Prime Minister (1979–2003) and a close advisor of President Saddam Hussein. Their association began in the 1950s when both were activists for the then-banned Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. Although he was an Arab nationalist he was in fact an ethnic Assyrian, and a member of the Chaldean Catholic Church.

ETA:

Whoops, TexasProgresive has already pointed that out. Never mind.

[7962]

21. COMPLETELY forgot about him! Thanks. Perfect example.

He'd be dead in todays Iraq. if he wasnt already dead that is

[merrily]

31. Saddam was not the only person in Iraq besides Christians. Please see Reply 20.

[7962]

35. The subject was the Christian site. Of course there are other sects there.

And as I said, he kept everyone from killing each other or being killed, unless you opposed HIM of course. Our invasion ruined all that

[merrily]

37. Other sects is not what I meant. Nor, necessarily is killing what I meant, although that probably

did occur. You seem to be looking at this in a rigid way. I have met Christian immigrants/refugees from Iraq and other Middle Eastern nations, had dinner in their homes, heard their stories.

Again, please see Reply 20. The author seems to be an Iraqi or Middle Eastern Christian.

[TexasProgresive]

7. We always seem to forget that Saddam and the Baathist were secular.

The claim that the Christians had to resort to Syriac to hide from Saddam and his henchmen is either ignorant of the complex culture of Iraq or is propaganda aimed at an ignorant U.S. population. The Minister of Foreign Affairs for Iraq, Tariq Aziz was a Chaldean Catholic Christian who no doubt attended the Divine Liturgy in the Syriac language.
From wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Iraq
In Iraq, Christians numbered about 1,500,000 in 2003, representing just over 6% of the population of the country down from 12% on 1947 in a population of 4.7 million.[citation needed] They numbered over 1.4 million in 1987 or 8% of the population.[1] After the Iraq War, it was estimated that the number of Christians in Iraq had dropped to as low as 450,000 by 2013[2] — with estimates as low as 200,000.[3] The most widely followed denomination among Assyrian Christians in Iraq is the Chaldean Catholic Church.

From the wiki on the Chaldean Catholic Church:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaldean_Catholic_Church
snip: Assyrians of all denominations, and other religious minorities in Iraq, have endured extensive persecution since 2003, including the abductions and murders of their religious leaders, threats of violence or death if they do not abandon their homes and businesses, and the bombing or destruction of their churches and other places of worship. All this has occurred as anti-Christian emotions rise within Iraq after the American invasion and the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and the rise of militant Jihadists and religious militias.[18]

snip:The Chaldean Catholic Church uses the East Syrian Rite.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Syrian_Rite
From the wiki on The east Syrian Rite
snip: The language of all three forms of the East Syrian Rite is the Eastern dialect of Syriac, a modern form of which is still spoken by the Assyrian Church of the East, the Ancient Church of the East (which broke away from the Assyrian Church of the East in the 1960s due to a dispute involving changes to the liturgical calendar, but is now in the process of reunification),[2] and the Chaldean Catholic Church.

[merrily]

33. Thanks. I never forgot about Saddam's secularity. That is one of the reasons I knew in 2002 that

the story that he partnered up with Ben Laden was bs. They hated each other.

However, the assumption on this thread is that, if the head of state did not persecute or discriminate against Christians no one in Iraq did. Please see reply 20. Also, I apologize, but the language I meant was Aramaic. I have edited my original post.

[eissa]

20. Syriac (or neo-Aramaic) is still used in Assyrian churches

both in the homeland and in the diaspora. We were able to cling to this ancient language mainly due to our isolation. But since the Iraq War, and especially with the rise of ISIS, Christians have abandoned their indigenous lands at an alarming rate.

[merrily]

30. Forgive me, I meant Aramaic, not Syriac. I will edit my earlier post.

I have heard stories of how difficult it's been for Christians in some Middle Eastern nations for centuries. I cannot imagine what it must be now for those who cannot leave. I guess there is converting or pretending to convert?

[eissa]

39. It definitely hasn't been a bed of roses

which is why the region has pretty much emptied out its Christian population. The "convert or die" issue is a tricky one. As it's occurring yet again with ISIS, I've long advocated for our people to simply convert. They can always be re-baptized and convert back when/if things calm down again. But every time I've suggested that to our community, they look at me like I just said we should kill all puppies. Then again, I'm not religious, so saying you worship one sky daddy instead of another is no big deal. But the stigma of forsaking your religion in that area is pretty serious, so those who can flee for the west.

[merrily]

40. Middle Eastern Christians are a very convinced lot or they would be Muslims or atheists by now.

I know one Iraqi family in particular with Armenian roots who came to the USA. I cannot begin to imagine them converting.

[6chars]

24. We did it!

[whatthehey]

9. Why? According to DU they are not motivated by religion at all

Perhaps they want to clear the site for a strategically vital falafel stand?

[LanternWaste]

13. Some vandalism motivated by religion, some not. Some rapes motivated by religion, most not.

Some vandalism motivated by religion, some not. Some rapes motivated by religion, most not.

However, I can certainly understand the willful ignorance that leads someone to pretend the above implies absolutely no religions motivation at all... irrational biases depends on it.

[yurbud]

14. what is the motive of our allies who fund them or buy their oil like Turkey does?

[MariaThinks]

27. you really think Turkey is an ally? Pakistan too?

[6chars]

25. All religious extremists are the same

[leftyladyfrommo]

10. That stuff just makes me sick.

All those people do is destroy things. And people.

[Coventina]

12. I hate these guys more than I can express in words.

[smirkymonkey]

15. So do I. They stand for nothing except death and destruction and

are motivated entirely by hate and bitterness. Eff them!

[MariaThinks]

29. i'm not sure how

[seafan]

17. Part of the ongoing murderous legacy of George W. Bush

....'Juss usin' mai capital'...

In a just world, this creature would never see the light of day again, from his prison cell.

[6chars]

26. Ironic that Christian Bush destroyed this church

[MariaThinks]

28. bush is a murdering piece of shit but the Taliban - brothers to isis - were destroying temples and

Churches in Afganistan before we invaded Iraq.

[7962]

36. I remember SO MANY pictures & videos of that going on!!

[MisterP]

19. the talking heads and pet "ex-Muslims" have been braying for a decade that we need a

"Muslim Reformation": too bad that was just a dogwhistle to liberal and conservative America alike for modern and tolerant and scientific and red-blooded and independent and all that jazz


Santayana and all that

[tabasco]

22. Just imagine the people who built this building, stone by stone.

Last edited Wed Jan 20, 2016, 05:10 PM - Edit history (1)

How sad they would be to know it was destroyed by maniacs.

[ButterflyBlood]

23. I thought about that when the Taliban blew up those Buddhas

If the builders of those knew the eventual fate. That'd be quite heartbreaking.

[DavidDvorkin]

41. This is a side note to a depressing story

"Raze" means "destroy down to the ground".