Duc in Altum

During and after any type of armed conflict, people will flee the area of danger, and the situation in Iraq is no different. However, if the numbers that are being reported for the flight of the Christian community in Iraq are accurate, the exodus out of the country is extremely alarming. As reported by Zenit, the numbers indicate that since the war began, around 250,000 of the 1 million Christians have left Iraq.

Baghdad's Auxiliary Bishop Andraos Abouna gave his bleakest assessment yet of the situation in Iraq, saying that despair is driving more and more Christians to leave the country.

Describing a worsening of the security situation since last December's parliamentary elections, the Chaldean prelate told how Christians were living in fear of their lives.

"In their hearts they do not want to leave the country, but because of the situation, they prefer to be outside Iraq," Bishop Abouna told the charity Aid to the Church in Need.

The 63-year-old prelate explained: "Security is now very bad. There are a lot of police in Iraq, especially around Baghdad -- you can find them everywhere and they are increasing all the time. The problem is that the quality of the policing is indifferent. Sometimes people feel afraid because, more so than before, they do not feel secure."

Stressing that Christians have suffered no worse than others, Bishop Abouna continued: "We still hope that Iraq will rise again, but it is very difficult when we have a government that cannot decide anything. Can you imagine what life is like without any real form of government?"

"Christians are getting less and less," he added. "When you look inside the churches, they are full of Christians. But when you go outside you feel that Christians are finished in Iraq." Source

Of course, the departure of Palestinian Christians from Israel is well-known. Unfortunately, Iraq is experiencing a similar situation. Who can blame them? I would probably take my family away from a war zone without question. The danger is that, although the Christians are small minorities in their respective countries, it is important that their voices be heard. As their numbers shrink, it is becoming less likely that anyone will, in fact, hear the Christians.