Mosul: After years of silence and ruin, the bells of Mosul are ringing once again. In a deeply symbolic moment for Iraq’s Christian community, two of the city’s most historic churches the Syriac Orthodox Church of Mar Toma (St. Thomas) and the Chaldean Church of Al-Tahira (The Immaculate Conception) have officially reopened their doors, eight years after being desecrated and nearly destroyed by the so-called Islamic State (ISIS).
The reopening ceremony, held in the heart of Mosul’s Old City, brought together politicians, religious leaders, and members of the faithful. It marked not just the restoration of two buildings, but the revival of a cultural and spiritual legacy that extremists had sought to erase.
When ISIS seized northern Iraq in 2014, the ancient city of Mosul once a vibrant hub of religious and cultural diversity became the de facto capital of the extremist group’s self-declared caliphate. Christians, Yazidis, and other minorities were driven from their homes; those who remained were forced to convert, pay heavy taxes, or face execution.
For Mosul’s Christians, whose roots date back to the earliest centuries of the faith, the devastation was immeasurable. Churches were turned into prisons, tombs, and even execution sites. The once-bustling Christian quarter fell silent as believers fled in fear.
By the time Iraqi forces, backed by international allies, liberated the city in 2017, Mosul lay in ruins. Homes were flattened, ancient mosques and churches were scarred, and the heart of one of Mesopotamia’s oldest cities seemed to have stopped beating.
Wednesday, October 15, marked a turning point in that painful history. After years of painstaking restoration, the Mar Toma and Al-Tahira churches have been returned to their communities.
“These churches are our roots, our history,” said Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, addressing the gathered faithful. “Rebuilding them means keeping alive not just stones, but memory, faith, and hope.”
The Mar Toma Church, dating back to the 7th century, was one of the oldest in the region. During ISIS’s occupation, it was desecrated and used as a detention center. The militants also damaged the 13th-century Door of the Twelve Apostles, an intricately carved marble structure that has now been fully restored.
The Al-Tahira Church, originally built in the 18th century, was one of the largest Christian places of worship in Iraq. Its restoration, too, has brought back to life an architectural and spiritual landmark that once defined the skyline of Mosul’s Christian quarter.
Among those who worked to restore the churches was Fadi, a 27-year-old Mosul native and one of the Franco-Iraqi restoration team members. Standing before the newly refurbished Door of the Twelve Apostles, he spoke with emotion: “The reopening of these churches is a sign of hope. It tells the world and especially Christians abroad that things are better here now, that they can come home again.”
The reconstruction project, launched in 2022, was supported by ALIPH (The International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas) in partnership with the French Catholic charity L’Oeuvre d’Orient, which has long championed Christian communities across the Middle East.
“Today is not only a great celebration for Mosul’s Christians, but for all its inhabitants,” said Msgr. Hugues de Woillemont, Director General of L’Oeuvre d’Orient. “Worship will begin again, and the sound of church bells once a symbol of coexistence will echo through the city once more.”
The reconsecration of Mar Toma Church took place last week in a solemn Orthodox ceremony, while Al-Tahira Church will be formally reconsecrated later this week. Wednesday’s event, however, was a civic celebration symbolizing unity among Mosul’s communities and the enduring spirit of its people.
While much of Mosul remains scarred by the war, the reopening of these churches stands as a testament to resilience and faith. Their rebirth is not just about restoring walls and altars, but about reclaiming identity and coexistence in a city where religions once thrived side by side.
“Mosul’s wounds are deep,” said one local attendee. “But today, for the first time in years, we heard the bells again and that sound means life has returned.”