ChristianToday.com reports: “Christianity in Iraq went through one of its most difficult periods after the US invasion toppled Saddam Hussein’s government. Decades of sectarian conflict and instability, and the rise of ISIS and other militants led to a mass exodus. A population of around 1.5 million fell to just a quarter of a million.

However, there is always a remnant.

Now Christians in northern Iraq have joined together for a festival proclaiming not just the power of the cross of Christ, but the continued existence of Christianity in the country.

The Assyrian Church of the East, Chaldean, Syriac Catholic and Syriac Orthodox churches have united in celebration of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The festival has been taking place this week and ends on Saturday.

Speaking to Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need, Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda, said, ‘The timing of the festival is deeply symbolic. A decade ago, Daesh [ISIS] sought to erase Christianity from this land.’

‘Today, the very same communities will raise the cross high in public squares, in churches, and in joyful processions. What once was meant to be silenced has become a proclamation – faith has survived, and hope is stronger than death.’

ISIS controlled much of northern Iraq from 2014 until the group was declared defeated in 2017…”