IRAQ: Thousands of Syriacs–Assyrians–Chaldeans celebrate Palm Sunday in Baghdede in Nineveh Plains

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — Despite the increase in the number of cases of the coronavirus in Iraq, Palm Sunday celebrations went ahead as planned. Thousands of Syriac–Assyrian–Chaldean people celebrated in the Nineveh Plains city of Baghdede.

A public procession took place, beginning from the house of the priests and consisting of children, students, and church groups. Those in the procession chanted hymns and carried olive branches to bless them.

After marching down the main street, the gathering stopped in front of Mor. John’s Church where the Gospel text was read and hymns and prayers were sung by Patriarch Mor. Yousef III Younan and a number of Archbishops, priests, monks, and nuns and in the presence of government and security officials in the Hamdaniya district of Baghdede.

Massive crowds this morning in Qaraqosh, northern Iraq for the traditional Palm Sunday Procession through the streets of the city once occupied by Islamic State. pic.twitter.com/JAOv6GRsxp

— Catholic Sat (@CatholicSat) March 28, 2021