Fighters belonging to the Islamic State group in Anbar, Iraq. Photo from Islamic State propaganda.
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A visiting Iraqi archbishop has appealed to Korean Catholics
to have mercy on Christian refugees from Iraq.
During his Oct. 12-16 visit to South Korea, Chalean
Archbishop Bashar Warda of Arbil spoke on the need of the Korean church to be
aware to the suffering of Christians in the Middle East.
“I’m very much grateful to the Korean church offering
support and prayers to the suffering Christians in Iraq. However, they are
still suffering much and we need more help,” said Archbishop Warda during Mass
at Myeongdong Cathedral which he presided with Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung.
“If there was no attention and prayer from churches around
the world, all the Christians will vanish in Iraq,” he said.
Some 100,000 Christian refugees are now staying in Arbil
Archdiocese having fled attacks by the so-called Islamic State (IS).
In March, the United Nations and the U.S. State Department
ruled that the persecution of Christians by IS amounted to genocide.
As part of his stay in Korea, Archbishop Warda met students
at the Catholic University of Korea and said Mass at Seoul parishes.
He also met Korean bishops including Archbishop Hyginus Kim
Hee-joong of Kwangju and made visits to various church institutes including the
Reconciliation and Peace Center in Paju and Aid to the Church in Need Korea.
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