Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, author of "The Church in Iraq – History, Development, and Mission, from the Beginning to the Present Day"

A comprehensive history of the Christian presence in Iraq, from the earliest days of the Gospel preaching in that land to the present day. Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and former Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan and Iraq from 2001 to 2006, writes in the volume "The Church in Iraq – History, Development, and Mission, From the Beginnings to Our Day," published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
"Will this diverse and rich Christian presence survive in the near future, or will it disappear?" This is the underlying question that inspires the volume, which begins with a geopolitical overview of the region and then traces its history back to the first century, with the preaching in Mesopotamia attributed to St. Thomas and his disciples Addai and Mari. This book offers "an understanding of the birth, evolution, and development of the Christian community in Mesopotamia; but also of its beauty, the crises and humiliations it suffered, which highlight the socio-political context and the testimony of faith even in the midst of current persecutions."