ACI MENA, Feb 8, 2025 /
07:00 am
German theologian and journalist Matthias Kopp — spokesman for the German Bishops’ Conference and a consultant to the Vatican Dicastery for Communication — was in Iraq this past week to present his new book, “The Christian Legacy in Iraq.”
German theologian and journalist Matthias Kopp — spokesman for the German Bishops’ Conference and a consultant to the Vatican Dicastery for Communication — was in Iraq this past week to present his new book, “The Christian Legacy in Iraq.”
His itinerary, which is taking him to Baghdad, Mosul, and Erbil, included a discussion of the book at the Catholic University in Erbil and meetings with Church leaders in the three cities. Archbishop Udo Markus Bentz of Paderborn accompanied Kopp on the trip.
In an interview with ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, Kopp shed light on the book’s chapters, documenting the suffering of Iraq’s Christians through various historical phases.
He recalled Pope John Paul II’s planned visit to Iraq in 1999, ultimately canceled by then-president Saddam Hussein.
“It was a great disappointment for Pope John Paul II,” Kopp said. “He had hoped to inaugurate the new millennium with a visit to Iraq.”
Kopp said he has traveled to Iraq whenever possible, even during the period of ISIS control, and highlighted what he considers the most critical chapter of his book: the fall of Hussein, the struggle to draft a new constitution, the devastating impact of ISIS on Christians and Yazidis, and the prospects for rebuilding after 2017.
He emphasized that the book is not only intended for Christians seeking to understand their history but also for politicians who need to grasp the political ramifications of Iraq’s past and present.
Throughout the book, Kopp also explores the future of Christianity in Iraq, considering the country’s economic and security challenges and the hopes of younger generations. In his view, the Catholic University in Erbil stands as a beacon of hope for these youth. Kopp also expressed interest in expanding his research to include Christian heritage in other conflict zones, such as Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Endorsed by Pope Francis who wrote the foreword, the book carries special significance. Reflecting on the pontiff’s endorsement, Kopp shared: “I was deeply moved when I received the envelope containing the pope’s introduction. I see it as a powerful message to the people of Iraq — a proof that the Holy Father has not forgotten them.”
During his tour of Mosul’s churches, Kopp observed tangible signs of reconstruction and the resurgence of Christian life.
“When I stood amid the ruins of churches in Mosul, I felt the weight of history,” he said. “But in Qaraqosh (Hamdaniya), the landscape was different. We attended a Mass with a thousand worshippers and participated in a grand candlelit procession through the city.”
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This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.
Rody Sher is Interim Editor-in-Chief of CNA’s partner agency ACI MENA, the Association for Catholic Information in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
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