“Rafael Sako”: Church of Abraham al-Khalil Will Be Opened Soon

Rafael Sako, Chaldean Patriarch of Iraq, announced the opening of the Church of Abraham al-Khalil in the city of Ur.

Cardinal Luis Rafael Sako, Chaldean Patriarch of Iraq, stated in a message: “The Church of Abraham al-Khalil in the historic city of Ur, which is the birthplace of Abraham, will be opened soon. This place has been designed for Christian and Muslim pilgrims, as Abraham is a respected figure in both religions and served as the focal point of this project.”

This church, considered the largest in Iraq and completed four years after Pope Francis’s visit to Iraq, has been introduced as a symbol of religious coexistence. It was scheduled to be opened on March 6 to coincide with the anniversary of the Pope’s visit to Iraq, but the opening was postponed due to its coincidence with Ramadan and Muslim fasting.

The Grand Church of Abraham al-Khalil consists of a complex that includes religious, social, and cultural centers, designed not only as a place of worship for Christians but also to welcome tourists and pilgrims from around the world. The church, located in Dhiqar Province in southern Iraq, 17 kilometers from Nasiriyah, covers approximately 10,000 square meters, and its bell tower, which reaches 23 meters, symbolizes the unity of religions and respect for cultural and religious diversity in Iraq.

In recent years, Pope Francis visited Iraq with the aim of strengthening interfaith dialogue and signing the Document on Human Brotherhood in Abu Dhabi, and during this historic visit he met with religious leaders including Ayatollah Sistani. The construction of this church was also carried out in line with this objective to promote peaceful coexistence among religions. Beyond this objective, this church was also built to support Iraqi Christians, whose population has dramatically declined over the past two decades due to the emergence of al-Qaeda in the early 2000s and subsequently by ISIS, as many of them were forced to leave Iraq.

The opening ceremony of this church will take place after Easter and the end of Ramadan, with the aim of providing time for the presence of Iraq’s Prime Minister and other prominent Muslim figures at the opening. The Iraqi government also hopes that through efforts in the field of security, it will be able to bring Christians back to the country.

Cardinal Rafael Sako also, in an interview with media, while emphasizing the necessity of Iraq and the Middle East region distancing itself from extremist ideologies and violence, called for a move toward soft diplomacy and the rule of law. He also reiterated the importance of preserving Iraq’s cultural and archaeological heritage as “true black gold” and believes that pilgrims and tourists from around the world can contribute to improving the country’s economy by visiting this country and this church.

Beyond his emphasis on Iraq and the Middle East region distancing itself from violence, he warned that regional wars and instability continue to pose serious threats to the future of Iraq and the region.