In a rare public\u00a0interaction of Iraqis, American soldiers, and the Christian faith, the Iraqi Bishop of Basra held a Catholic Mass for American troops stationed in his region.\u00a0\u00a0The Mass was held on Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, on 8 August, by Bishop Imad Al Banna.\u00a0 Approximately 50 people attended the service, which was\u00a0delivered in historic Aramaic.<\/p>\n
Army Chaplain (Lt. Col.) John Morris, a Multinational Division South chaplain, said he commends Banna for working through the hardships his religion has faced during the years of Operation Iraqi Freedom. \u201cHe is a great example of a good shepherd,\u201d he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
[The Bishop] said he was grateful to be with the American soldiers for the Mass and thanked them for what they are doing for his country.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The American soldiers responded\u00a0likewise to the Bishop’s visitation, fellowshipping with the Bishop for an hour after the service ended.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beyond celebrating their right to exercise their faith freely–even as they serve a combat role in a predominantly Muslim country–the soldiers recognized the significance of the day:<\/p>\n
\u201cI will never forget this day,\u201d said Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Ulmen, a mortuary affairs noncommissioned officer with the 34th Infantry Division, and a Minnesota resident. \u201cIt was an incredible experience to attend a Mass conducted by an Iraqi bishop, definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The event stands in stark contrast to the environment of\u00a0Operation Desert Storm<\/em>, in which General Norman Schwarzkopf prohibited\u00a0filming of soldiers exercising their faith and encouraged Chaplains to remove their religious symbols in order to prevent offense in the region.<\/p>\n