Basra Churches - An Immortal Legacy Despite Challenges

Introduction

Basra Governorate has been a symbol of social and religious diversity since ancient times, as it was a home that embraced Jews, Christians, Muslims and Mandaeans in a framework of respect and peaceful coexistence. Its strategic geographical location and its ports overlooking the Arabian Gulf have contributed to making Basra a center of openness to different nationalities and religions. Despite the decline in the number of Christians in recent decades due to wars and sectarian conflicts, Christianity still constitutes an essential part of the social fabric of the governorate, as the number of Christians reached more than 6,000 families in the eighties, and they are concentrated in several areas such as "Al-Junaina" and "Al-Basha".

In this article, we review the most prominent churches in Basra Governorate:

1. Sacred Heart Church: Located in Al-Kazara neighborhood in Al-Ashar, it was built in 1913 and still receives visitors to this day.

2. Al-Shuaiba Church: Built by the British during the first British occupation after World War I, it is part of the buildings that the British forces established in their military base adjacent to the oil fields.

3. Mar Korkis Church: Located in Kut Al-Hajjaj area and built in 1978.

4. St. Mary the Virgin Armenian Orthodox Church: Located in the Al-Basha neighborhood in Basra, known as the Armenian neighborhood. It was founded in 1736 and has been renovated several times. Its bell dates back to 1907.

5. St. Pius Chaldean Catholic Church: Located in the "Al-Jumhuriya" area, a popular area, it was founded in 1954 by Bishop Youssef Kouki and the street is still called "Church Street".

6. Church of the East: Built in 1951 in the Al-Jumhuriya area, its land and sanctity were encroached upon after 2003.

7. Syriac Catholic Church: It belongs to the "Hanna Al-Sheikh" family, which contributed to building the central preparatory school in the Al-Ashar area, where the market is currently known as "Hanna Al-Sheikh Market".

Among the churches that were revived after the 2003 war, the Seventh-day Adventist Church stands out, founded in 1966 on Tammuz Street near the Basra Chamber of Commerce. After the 1967 setback, the church was accused of collaborating with the Israeli , and in 1969 16 people were executed on charges of espionage. After being closed for more than 50 years due to the Baath regime, the church was restored and rehabilitated by the "Durar Al-Iraq for Human Development" organization with the contribution of 35 volunteers. The bricks were removed from 11 windows, 3 meters high, and the doors that had been closed behind the bricks for many years were opened, and the bells began to ring again in 2023. Currently, the number of Christian families in Basra is 350 families from different churches, and they work in various jobs in government and private sectors such as oil, gas, petrochemicals, education and banking.

Author: Hoda Al-Asadi ( Khatawat Foundation for Sustainable Development and Economic Improvement)

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