The last few decades have been brutal. War, sanctions and sectarian violence were followed in 2014 by the Islamic State’s takeover of Mosul and the Nineveh Plains, which drove out Christians, Yazidis and others who had lived there for centuries. Iraq’s Christian population, over a million before 2003, has shrunk to a fraction of that. In March 2021, Pope Francis became the first pope to visit Iraq, praying among the ruins of churches in Mosul and meeting the Shia leader Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani.
Historical Context
A Prayer for Iraq
God of Abraham, you called him out of Ur to be a blessing to all nations.
Bless the land he came from.
Bring lasting peace to Iraq.
Heal the wounds of war and terror,
protect people of every faith and none,
and give wisdom and honesty to those who lead.
Let families return to rebuilt homes and churches.
Amen.
For Iraqi Christians
Lord, the Christians of Iraq have kept the faith since the time of the apostles.
Strengthen them. Help them stay, or flourish wherever they have gone.
Let the Aramaic prayers of Nineveh never fall silent.
Amen.
For Refugees
Lord, be with Iraqis forced from their homes.
Give them shelter, welcome and hope.
Amen.
Best Times for This Prayer
- When Iraq is in the news.
- When praying for persecuted Christians.
- During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Scripture Connection
“And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?” — Jonah 4:11
The book of Jonah ends with God’s tender concern for the people of Nineveh, in today’s northern Iraq. His care for that land hasn’t changed.
Related prayers
For Nineveh’s prophet, see Jonah’s Prayer. For Babylon’s exiles, the 4 Sentence Prayer of Daniel. For those who serve, the Marine Corps Prayer.