November 7, 2014
His Eminence Mor Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf, the Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Mosul, broke down during a recent interview.
While explaining an annual tradition for the feastday of a local saint, the Archbishop wept with emotion: the feast had been kept uninterrupted for 1,500 years, despite many invasions, persecutions, and war, but this year the Syriac Christians were unable to gather in areas controlled by the Islamic State.
The Archbishop then went on to explain the dire condition of Christian refugees in the region and expressed his deep dismay that no Western authorities or organizations are helping to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding as winter approaches and Christians remain homeless.
His Eminence ended by saying that he considers it an honor to be persecuted for faith in Christ, and that he and his flock will only become more steadfast in the face of future persecutions.
