Bishop of Northern Iraq: “Church in Iraq is in great danger”

http://www.christiansofiraq.com/bishopchristiansindanger.html

Iraqi Christians forced to pay 'protection tax' Muslims enforcing Islamic law requiring tribute or conversion

http://www.christiansofiraq.com/protectiontaxapr297.html

IRAQ: CHRISTIANS FACE MOUNTING THREATS,MP SAYS

http://www.christiansofiraq.com/mounting%20threatsap277.html

IRAQ: Bishops appeal: Save Iraq’s Christians!

http://www.christiansofiraq.com/bishopapealap237.html

قائمة الدول والرؤساء والهيئات المعترفة بالإبادة الأرمنية

Table

The Iraqi Armenian Community Commemorates the Armenian Genocide Victims

The Iraqi Armenian community observed April 24th memorial on Saturday, April 21st in Baghdad. The Primate of the Iraqi Armenian Diocese, H.E. Archbishop Avak Asadourian celebrated the divine literagy during which the faithful were asked to observe a minute of silence in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims in 1915. A special program followed the literagy. It consisted of proper poems and songs in the participation of the Armenian Primary School students, Church Youth Group students and Zvartnots Choir group. At the conclusion of the program H.E. Archbishop Avak Asadourian addressed the faithful on the occasion. Afterwards, the faithful headed for the memorial dedicated to the Armenian martyrs in the courtyard of the diocesean complex. H.E. Archbishop Asadourian inaugurated an exhibition for oil paintings dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in the Gulbenkian Hall in the Armenian Primary School which lasts for three days. P.S. Attached images from the ceremony.

By Ara S. Ashjian Baghdad, Iraq
For KarabakhOpen
http://www.karabakh-open.com/src/index.php?lang=en&nid=3185&id=2
Photos

Video

Holy Week services in Baghdad

Defying many difficulties and security problems, a large number of the Armenians of Baghdad participated in and Easter celebrations. Attached some pictures of Easter Celebration at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral near Tayaran Sq. in Baghdad.

http://www.azad-hye.net/photos/viewalbumpicture.asp?al=qhsdtrnshy181376a

Primate of Iraqi diocese on REGNUM’s report

On March 30 the news agency REGNUM reported that the lider of the Iraqi national diocese Paruir Hakobyan had stated the Armenians of Iraq prefer to leave for Iraqi Kurdistan because it is better there than in Nagorno Karabakh.
KarabakhOpen asked the pastor of the Iraqi Armenians Archbishop Avag Asatryan to comment on this information. Archbishop Avag Asatryan said: “Every Armenian dreams of living in Armenia and Artsakh, which is indivisible from it. We know about the patriotic feelings of Paruir Hakobyan, because we have been collaborating with him for a number of years now. Therefore, we do not think that Mr. Hakobyan would compare North Iraq with Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. We think he meant that for the people of Baghdad it is easier to get to Kurdistan than to Karabakh. The Armenians of Baghdad are not rich, and it is cheaper to stay in Iraq than to leave the country.”
Ara S. Ashjian
from Baghdad, Iraq for KarabakhOpen
http://www.karabakh-open.com/src/index.php?lang=en&nid=2885&id=3