The First Mass in Mosul After 30 Months

Candle lights, fragrant of incense and sounds of bells brought back to life in the Chaldean Church of St. Paul in Mosul (Almajmoua’ Althaqafyia suburb). The Eucharist, symbol of the New Testament for the salvation of all mankind is back again on the altar. All this happened on Sunday, 24 December 2017, when His Beatitude the Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako celebrated the mass in participation of the Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni, the Archbishop of Mosul of Syriac Catholics, Putros Moshi and the Archbishop of Mosul of Syriac Orthodox, Nicademos Sharaf, in addition to some priests. Among them Fr. Paul Thabet, was the one who organized the altar. The atmosphere was filled with the praises of the worshipers and the symbolism of the feast was marked by 1,500 food baskets to the needy Mouslian families in cooperation Iraq-Caritas.

The Mass was commenced with an Iraqi Anthem in attendance of several VIPs from Nineveh such as, Major General Najem al-Jubouri; Police Chief Brigadier Wathiq Al-Hamdani, President of Mosul University, Prof. Dr. Obay Al-Dewachi, President of Nineveh University, Prof. Dr. Muzahim Al-Khayatt; leaders of tribes and religious groups and a big crowd of believers.

It is worth mentioning that Muslim youth of Mosul helped in lifting rubbles and preparing the church to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ and in order to encourage the return of Christians to their city, which was initially a Christian city, where the Chaldean Liturgy started. Another promising expression of tolerance and coexistence was a 30-foot Christmas tree placed decorated in the town “celebration square”.

In his homily, Patriarch Sako: congratulated Nineveh people for liberating their city from ISIS and for celebrating Christmas 2017 in Mosul; acknowledged the young Muslims who assisted in cleaning the church and prepared it for this “special” feast; addressed the importance.....

The Catholic Mass Is The Perfect Prayer
The Entire Mass Can Be Traced to Holy Scripture

Needless to say, the entire Mass – which has been called the “Perfect Prayer” – is completely Biblically based. It has to be; it’s a celebration within Christ’s Church, the Catholic Church. Catholics penned the New Testament inspired by the Holy Spirit (first called Christians, then the Catholic [Universal] Church) and then codified Holy Scripture in A.D. 393 at the Synod of Hippo. What we tend to forget sometimes is that ALL Christians were Catholic (whether Orthodox, Roman, etc.) for nearly 1,500 years, and certainly all the Apostles and all the greatest minds and (early) Church fathers were Catholic.

Every single man and woman that materially affected Christian doctrine in its very initial development and maturation for “hundreds of years” were Catholic; devout Catholics, many of them martyrs, many of them having personal and visual relationships with Jesus.

How then could these Christians celebrate the Mass – daily – without this Perfect Prayer being absolutely and unmistakably supported by Holy Scripture? A book they helped write, interpret, guard the validity of, preach from, and eventually certify the contents of – all under the guide of the Holy Spirit? It is not possible. Or better said, it defies logical and rational thought.

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