Baghdad (AsiaNews) – Terrorists "have destroyed the most beautiful symbol of the Chaldean Church in the whole of Iraq", and Christians are "increasingly worried that they will be targets of such acts of violence", this according to Emmanuel Delly, Patriarch of the Catholic Chaldean Church who was speaking about a terrorist attack which this afternoon destroyed the Bishop's Palace.

At around 4:30 local time (GMT +3), a terrorist commando rushed in, forced priests and workmen out, placed a bomb and blew it up. It was completely destroyed.

Fortunately, no one was killed or injured, but the Patriarch is very worried that it happened and that the "Iraqi government is impotent to prevent such acts".

"Christians are worried about this kind of violence happening over and over," he said. "I hope Our Lady will give us the courage to continue on our path".

Christian sources say that Muslims in Mosul also hold the building in high esteem. "During the Iran-Iraq war," a local Christian woman said, "Muslim women would also come to pray before the statue of Our Lady so that She might spare their sons' lives at the front".

The Chaldean Catholic diocese of Mosul is led by Bishop Paulos Faraj Rahho and has 35,000 faithful. It has 12 parishes, 22 diocesan priests, 8 men and 20 women religious. (DS)