Churches in Iraq are seeing a resurgence of faith, with many filled to capacity. Over 1,500 children recently celebrated their first Communion. The event signifies a beacon of hope for the Christian community in the region. The celebrations took place despite ongoing challenges faced by the community.
4 months ago
Despite a history of persecution and ongoing challenges, Iraqi churches are experiencing a resurgence of faith, marked by widespread First Communion celebrations 2. Approximately 1,500 children across various Christian denominations recently received their First Holy Communion, symbolizing hope and commitment within the community 1 2. This comes 11 years after ISIS seized Mosul and Nineveh towns, and amid renewed regional conflicts 2.
First Communion ceremonies took place in numerous cities and dioceses throughout Iraq. In Baghdad, 50 children celebrated in Chaldean parishes, while 32 received the sacrament at a Syriac Catholic parish 2. Notably, 11 children had their First Communion at the Syriac Catholic Church of Our Lady of Deliverance, a site that endured a horrific massacre in 2010 2.
In Qaraqosh (Baghdeda), 461 children celebrated across three ceremonies within the Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul, with another 30 in nearby Bashiqa and Bartella 2. Archbishop Benedictos Younan Hanno praised the faithful for their determination to remain on their ancestral lands and their courage in returning after displacement 2.
Northern Iraqi towns also saw significant celebrations. In Ankawa, Archbishop Bashar Matti Warda presided over Masses where 210 children received First Communion in the Chaldean Diocese of Erbil 2. Additionally, 66 children from the Syriac Catholic Diocese of Adiabene and 40 from the Syriac Orthodox Church celebrated in Ankawa, with 15 more in Duhok 2. The Chaldean Diocese of Duhok saw 75 children, while 150 celebrated in neighboring Zakho Diocese 2. The Chaldean Diocese of Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah celebrated for 26 children in Kirkuk 2.
While many celebrated, some areas faced challenges in gathering enough children for the sacrament. In Basra, where Christian families have dwindled to fewer than 350 across all denominations, First Communion celebrations were postponed to next year 2. Similarly, the Church in Sulaymaniyah is also looking to next year for its celebrations 2.
Archbishop Warda emphasized that First Communion is more than a ceremonial event; it signifies a lifelong commitment that transforms homes into places reflecting Jesus' presence through forgiveness, listening, and generosity 2. The widespread celebrations underscore the Iraqi Christian community's resilience and their dedication to preserving and passing on their faith to the next generation, even in the face of adversity 2.
What is the Church's teaching on the Eucharist?
The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is the "source and summit of the Christian life". It is one of the seven sacraments, instituted by Christ himself at the Last Supper. The Church believes that in the Eucharist, the bread and wine are truly, really, and substantially changed into the Body and Blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ . This change is called transubstantiation.
The institution of the Eucharist is recounted in the Gospels and in St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you." In a similar way, he took the chalice, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me". By commanding his apostles to "Do this in memory of me," Jesus entrusted to them and their successors a memorial of his Passover.
The Catholic Church affirms the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. This means that Jesus Christ is present in a unique and incomparable way in the consecrated Host and wine. It is not merely a symbol, but the actual Body and Blood of Christ, under the appearances of bread and wine. The Council of Trent solemnly declared that "by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation". The presence of Christ endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist.
The Eucharist is also understood as the re-presentation of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. It is not a new sacrifice, but the same sacrifice of Christ offered once for all on Calvary, made present again in an unbloody manner. When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, she commemorates Christ's Passover, and it is made present: the sacrifice Christ offered once for all on the cross remains ever present. The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, a memorial of Christ's Passover, and the presence of Christ by the power of his word and of his Spirit.
Receiving Holy Communion has several profound effects on the believer:
Given the real presence of Christ, the Church encourages the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament outside of Mass. This practice, known as Eucharistic adoration, is a profound expression of faith in Christ's presence and a means of spiritual growth.
In summary, the Church's teaching on the Eucharist centers on the belief in the real presence of Christ through transubstantiation, its nature as a re-presentation of Christ's sacrifice, and its transformative effects on those who receive it worthily .