The Voice of the suffering in Middle East

On August 6, 2014, the world watched in horror as ISIS jihadists poured into Iraq’s Nineveh Plains, forcing hundreds of thousands of Christians to flee their ancestral land to save their lives.

Sanctions in addition to the mass emigration of young people facing low salaries and few jobs, make it increasingly likely that the political and military events of recent years will lead to the gradual disappearance of Christians in the Middle East.

In an interview with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the Patriarch said that reversing the decree was part of a political campaign to silence him, render him powerless and seize control of churches and other Chaldean buildings.

More than 1,000 young people are expected to attend the gathering on Mount Lebanon, which will take place as Pope Francis meets the young people in Lisbon and is designed to mirror the traditional set-up of the WYD, with a Via Crucis, an adoration, catechesis sessions, and workshops, as well as a large final Mass.

After more than a decade of war and, consequently, an unstable economy,ACN will help 45,574 young people participate in 273 summer camps, which aim to recover their stamina and heal their wounds.

“What we aspire to is a generation of conscious youth, who will become part of the Church’s presence in Iraq. The Ankawa Youth Meeting is a big part of realizing this hope. It builds faith and friendships, removes isolation, and impacts their lives and their families.”