In the early 20th century, Assyrians suffered genocide alongside the Armenians and Greeks at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. The modern history of the Christian community in Iraq has been defined by waves of persecution they've been subject to by both their neighbors and foreigners. Larger waves of migration as a result of forced displacement in the 17th century and the Armenian genocide in the early 20th century led Armenians to settle in Iraq. Today, Assyrians in Iraq are often identified along their church denominations-with the Chaldean Catholics comprising the largest group, followed by members of the Assyrian Church of the East, Syriac Orthodox Church and Syriac Catholic Church.Īrmenians also form a significant minority within Iraq's dwindling Christian community, dating back to Babylonian times. Nor are they particularly delighted at their portrayal as a homogenous entity of "Iraqi Christians"-a reductionist mischaracterization of a diverse community that was propounded by Ba'athist and later Kurdish authorities to enforce the assimilation and disappearance of their distinct ethnic and cultural identities.Īssyrians are the predominant Christian group in Iraq, whose presence traces back to the birth of Mesopotamian civilization. The Christians of the "Muslim world" take little solace in being portrayed as outsiders in the region they've inhabited since before the time of Christianity.
For the beleaguered indigenous Christians of the Middle East, there was hope the historic visit of Pope Francis to Iraq would bring much needed awareness to their plight.ĭespite recognizing the " fading" presence of the region's Christians, mainstream media has largely been complicit in reinforcing the systematic erasure of these ancient communities.
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