Baghdad -- Patriarch of the Chaldean Church Mar Paulos III Nona said rebuilding Christian areas destroyed by wars in Iraq is not enough to ensure the survival of the Christian presence, stressing that the greatest challenge is encouraging residents to return to their historic communities and regain confidence in the future.

In an interview with Vatican News, details of which were published by Abouna on Monday, Patriarch Nona said that, four months after his election as patriarch, the security situation in areas with a Christian presence had improved significantly. However, migration, demographic change, inadequate services and young people's loss of hope continue to threaten the future of Christians in Iraq.

The Patriarch recalled the events of the night of 6--7 August 2014, when tens of thousands of Christians fled their towns and villages in Nineveh Plain as the Islamic State (ISIS) advanced. He said the images of fleeing families, crying children, and fear in residents' eyes remain vivid in his memory.

At the time, Patriarch Nona was the Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul. He contacted priests and villages across Nineveh Plains to urge residents to leave before ISIS arrived, stressing that ensuring everyone reached safety was one of the most difficult moments of that night.

Twelve years later, the Patriarch said Christians no longer face the same level of security threats, but the effects of war, displacement, and emigration remain deep. Many Christians have not returned to their original communities, while others have left Iraq or settled elsewhere.

Patriarch Nona noted that the return of Christians requires more than rebuilding homes and churches. It also requires security, stability, employment opportunities, and essential services, as well as guarantees that the tragedies that forced residents to flee will not be repeated.

He also warned that young people are losing hope, saying declining employment opportunities and the growing desire to emigrate have even affected family formation, threatening the long-term future of the Christian community.

Today, Assyrian Christians face major challenges, most notably a decline in their numbers following waves of migration triggered by ISIS persecution, with many Christians moving to the United States, Australia and Europe.

Patriarch Nona stressed that religious freedom means more than simply allowing Christians to practice their faith inside churches. It also encompasses full and equal participation in public life, access to employment opportunities, protection of property and the ability to live without discrimination or fear.

As part of efforts to strengthen cooperation among Churches, the Patriarch announced a meeting of the Council of Catholic Bishops in Iraq, scheduled for 28 August in Ankawa, Arba'ilo (Erbil), Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The meeting aims to resume regular gatherings that have been suspended since 2021.

The meeting is expected to address issues related to protecting the Christian presence, Christian education, ecclesiastical courts, Caritas and cooperation among Catholic Churches.

For Patriarch Nona, the future of Christians in Iraq is not determined by what has been rebuilt in stone, but by whether people regain enough confidence to return, live, work, raise families and participate in their communities.

After years of war and displacement, he said, Christians are "tired of conflicts" and simply want to live in peace and security in their homeland.