After being forced to flee because of fierce fighting, an Iraqi religious order has finally returned to the place where it was founded – with help from a leading Catholic charity.
As John Newton reports, the Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Chaldean order of religious Sisters, has been able to go back to the village of Araden in northern Iraq.
Located in the Sapna Valley, which is kept green and lush by the Great Zab river, local lore says the village’s name comes from the Syriac words “ara” – land – and “Aden” – Eden.
Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) helped the order to return to their birthplace by supporting a significant building project including a retreat centre and a shrine to the order’s founder, Father Abdul Ahad Rayes.
Mother Superior Samar Mikha said a key part of their founder’s vision was to educate and encourage young people in their Faith.
She said: “The revitalised space will continue the mission of Father Rayes by supporting the Christian educational needs of the region.
“He was a tireless advocate for education, building schools and nurturing young minds. We are committed to carrying forward his legacy by focusing on educational initiatives in the villages surrounding Araden.”
Through the centuries, the village has been a hub of Aramaic-speaking Christian activity, and its three churches Mart Shmoni, Sultana Mahdokht and Mar Awda were all founded more than a millennium ago.
But a succession of conflicts from the First Iraqi–Kurdish War in the 1960s down to bombing raids by Turkish air force at the end of the last decade have seen numbers decline as villagers fled the danger.
Mother Samar said: “Our community has faced numerous hardships, having lost our general mother home three times due to wars and migrations in Iraq.
“This tumultuous history led to a dearth of vocations in our community.”
But the head of the order went on to thank ACN for helping the community re-establish itself in Araden.
She said: “Through your unwavering support, we have not only met our objectives but exceeded our expectations.
“The Abdul-Ahad shrine and retreat house now stands as a symbol of resilience and hope for our community. This shrine now provides a space for the much-needed spiritual retreats, offering solace, tranquillity, and silence to our dedicated sisters who serve the community and the Church tirelessly.
“We cannot emphasise enough the profound gratitude we hold for Aid to the Church in Need.”
