Easter represents a time of excitement, and anticipated joy in the Christian community, as we come together to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.
This Easter was extra special for Christians in Iraq, as they were allowed to celebrate Easter at home for the first time in a long time.
Hamdaniya, which is in the Nineveh plains near Mosul city in northern Iraq, saw its first Easter celebration this past weekend for the first time since the Islamic State was defeated.
Ever since ISIS took over the northern city, Christians were barred from practicing their faith, much less celebrating the holiday.
This Easter was the first time that many Christians in Iraq were able to worship, pray and gather together to celebrate the holy day.
After ISIS’s violent invasion of their home, many Christians fled, seeking refuge elsewhere. Around 55,000 people fled Hamdaniya alone to escape ISIS’s evil reign. For those still in Mosul, ISIS destroyed their churches and buildings, looting all of their possessions.
Patriarch Louis Sako stated there were no Christians living in Mosul in 2014 after ISIS took over.
After Mosul was recaptured in 2017, and ISIS defeated, people began to return to their homes. They returned to destroyed churches, burned down homes, and their possessions looted and stolen. Some families are unable to return to their homes as they are completely destroyed.
Many Iraqi’s feel that the government has abandoned them in the time that they need their help the most. The Iraqi government is requisitioning 100 billion from the international community in order to rebuild the areas destroyed and devastated by ISIS.
Although there is a long road of reconstruction ahead for Iraqi citizens, they were happy to be free to celebrate Easter once again.
(H/T Al Jazeera)
Pasaka ni wakati wa msisimko na furaha inayotarajiwa katika jamii ya Kikristo, tunapokusanyika pamoja kusherehekea ufufuo wa Yesu. Pasaka ya mwaka huu ilikuwa ya kipekee kwa Wakristo nchini Iraq, kwani waliruhusiwa kusherehekea Pasaka nyumbani kwa mara ya kwanza kwa muda mrefu. Hamdaniya, katika tambarare za Nineveh karibu na mji wa Mosul kaskazini mwa Iraq, iliona sherehe ya Pasaka ya kwanza mwishoni mwa wiki iliyopita kwa mara ya kwanza tangu kushindwa kwa kundi la Islamic State. Tangu ISIS ilipochukua mji huo, Wakristo wamekatazwa kufanya ibada zao, na hata kusherehekea sikukuu hiyo. Pasaka hii ilikuwa mara ya kwanza kwa Wakristo wengi nchini Iraq kuweza kuabudu, kuomba na kukusanyika pamoja kusherehekea siku hiyo takatifu. Baada ya uvamizi mkali wa ISIS wa nyumba yao, Wakristo wengi walikimbia, wakitafuta kimbilio mahali pengine. Watu 55,000 waliokimbia kutoka Hamdaniya pekee ili kuepuka utawala wa ISIS. Kwa wale waliobaki Mosul, ISIS iliharibu makanisa na majengo yao, ikipora mali zao zote. "Patriarch Louis Sako alisema: ""Hakuna Wakristo wanaoishi Mosul baada ya ISIS kuchukua madaraka." Baada ya Mosul kukamatwa mwaka 2017, watu walianza kurudi nyumbani. Walirudi kwenye makanisa yaliyoharibiwa, wakachoma nyumba, na mali zao zikaporwa na kuibiwa. Familia fulani haziwezi kurudi nyumbani kwao kwa sababu zimeharibiwa kabisa. Wairaqi wengi wanahisi kwamba serikali imewaacha wakati ambao wanahitaji msaada wao zaidi. Serikali ya Iraq imetoa msaada wa dola bilioni 100 kwa ajili ya ujenzi wa maeneo yaliyoharibiwa na kushambuliwa na kundi la ISIS. Ingawa kuna njia ndefu ya ujenzi mbele kwa wananchi wa Iraq, walikuwa na furaha kuwa huru kusherehekea Pasaka tena. (HT Al Jazeera)