When the Apostles disbursed throughout the known world, St Thomas and his disciples headed east to spread the Gospel in India, establishing churches along the way in Palestine, Mesopotamia, and Parthia. He eventually died a martyr's death in India after baptizing hundreds of Asians into the Church.While I was in Kirkuk, I learned that some of the churches St Thomas founded in northern Iraq still exist and practice the Liturgy in Aramaic.
In honor of St Thomas, whose feast is celebrated today in churches that follow the new calendar, the next several posts on this blog will be dedicated to something about which we hear very little: Iraqi Christians.
This series is not intended to incite a discussion of how or why these Christians found themselves in the situation they are in, nor to speculate on the best political remedy. There are plenty of other places online for that sort of discussion.
It is meant to prompt awareness of a population of Christians who are suffering and need our prayer.
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