Armenian Orthodox community in Kirkuk gathered, on Monday, to celebrate Christmas at the Virgin Mary Church, performing sacred rituals and prayers in a show of faith and unity, Safaq News reports.
Kepork Shakya, head of the Armenian Orthodox community in Kirkuk, said the event brought together families from the community. “This celebration brought together Armenian families from Kirkuk to perform sacred rituals,” Shakya told Shafaq News.
He expressed concern over the sharp decline in Kirkuk’s Armenian population due to migration, leaving only about 30 families compared to the once-thriving Armenian presence in the city.
“Migration and Iraq’s turbulent circumstances have deeply impacted our community,” Shakya said, urging young Armenians to marry and contribute to population growth. He added that the church supports initiatives to strengthen the Armenian family structure.
In 2015, Kirkuk opened its first Armenian church. Its pastor, Avedik Mardirosyan, said violence and instability had forced many Armenian families to leave.
Armenians have lived in Iraq for centuries, with initial waves of migration from Armenia through Iran settling in southern Iraq. The first Armenian diocese was established in Basra in 1222, with subsequent migrations to Baghdad. The Armenian community was officially recognized as a Christian denomination in Iraq in 1638.
