MOSUL: With chants and ululations, Iraqi Christians celebrated the inauguration of a recently restored Chaldean Catholic Church in Mosul, years after extremists turned it into a religious police office.
Around 300 faithful attended the first mass in the 80-year-old church of Um Al-Mauna — “Our Lady of Perpetual Help” after it was fully renovated.
They prayed and took photos on mobile phones.
“I’ve been waiting for this day,” 74-year-old former school director Ilham Abdullah said.