26 CHALDEAN NEWS
26 CHALDEAN NEWS AUGUST 2008
ADVERTISEMENT IRAQ today Advocates hope to rebuild ancient church TRANSLATED BY GALIA THOMAS Alakayser Church, located in Karbala, is the oldest Iraqi church — believed to have been founded more than 120 years before the beginning of Islam. Advocates are hoping to see the ancient site restored to preserve history and attract tourists. Karbala is in the center of Alakayser, about 70 kilometers southwest of Karbala and about five kilometers from Alakhouder, a historically well-known palace. Centuries ago, the site was a complete city — full of life. The ruins indicate that it was a populated city before Islam. The church, located in the middle of the desert, has many drawings of crosses that indicate an early presence of Christianity. Majid Jiad Alkhazai, the former director of the Bureau of Tourism in Karbala, said the church overlooks a significant historic section that contains a glorious history of the city, which was established after the martyrdom of Al Imam Al Husain Bin Ali in the battle of Altaf. The walls of the church contain Aramaic writings that date back to the fifth century, according to some researchers. The site also includes many graves of monks and clergy who taught and served in the church, and a separate section for public Christian graves. The church is fenced by a brown clay wall with four towers and 15 gates for entry. Built from baked clay brick, The ruins of Alakayser Church date to the fifth century. the church is arched from above. It is 16 meters long and four meters wide. Mudhfer Al Sheik Kader, who led an Iraqi expedition in the region, said the church was repaired by Chaldeans who visited it every year to celebrate mass and prayers on the altar. He said that the site should be a place for tourism and devotion for Christians. Alkhazai is among those who believe the church should be reconstructed to attract Christians for prayers and others for tourism. “This area is the center of tourism. We are not yet taking advantage of what we have for tourism and should because the rest of the world does not have what we have,” he said. “Tourism would be a factor for economic stability.” Traces of vandalism to the church and graves are clear indications of people digging to steal gold, jewelry, precious stones and other valuables, Alkhazai said. More than 25 graves have been excavated by thieves. There are also traces of vandalism from the old army’s regime, which used the site for training and targeting. There is evidence of both exploded bombs and some that were untouched. Alkhazai said the excavated graves contained corpses and were covered with a large stone. The walls are covered with gypsum. Afterwards, they threw earth on the grave and then it was covered with a cushion of gypsum from the outside. Each grave faces the direction of the Holy City, Jerusalem. Environmental factors have exposed the church to a multitude of ruins due to natural disasters. This is obvious from the fact that the gates of the church were closed from the outside by stone and gypsum. The dome upon the altar has collapsed as well as the rooms dedicated to the clergy. Alkhazai hopes to see trees planted to add to the area’s beauty, and have the street paved that connects Karbala with Ain Altmer. If this does not happen, he warns, the rest of the church and the site will disappear. “We will also lose a very important site that will attract thousands of Christian tourists and others from all over the world,” he said. PHOTO BY KHALID MOHAMMED/AP A City of Shadows Construction scaffolding looms over an Iraqi boy stacking books for sale at the Mutanabi book market, which is still rebuilding after a March 2007 car bombing, in central Baghdad. Rows after rows of barrier walls, some up to 20 feet high, divide the city into smaller and smaller areas that protect people from bombings, sniper fire and kidnappings. They also lead to gridlock, rising prices for food and homes, and complaints about living in what feels like a prison. For many Iraqis, they have become the iconic symbol of the war. From left: Dr. Kelly Purcell, Dr. Anthony Sayegh, and Dr. Matthew Zimny Drs. Purcell, Sayegh and Zimny: Families First Hard to believe, but it’s already time to start thinking about back to school. Does your child plan to play sports on a school team? He or she will need a physical – and there’s no better place to go than Drs. Purcell, Sayegh and Zimny. The three are all board-certified family medicine specialists who attended Michigan State University and completed their residency at Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center together. The physicians, all staff members at William Beaumont Hospitals, offer the latest in medical therapies and diagnoses and treat all ages – with a personal touch. “We pride ourselves in having a good bedside manner,” said Dr. Kelly Purcell. “We try to explain things to patients in plain English rather than get bogged down in medical jargon.” “As family medicine specialists, we are able to treat all ages ranging from newborns to seniors, and a wide variety of illnesses. Our philosophy is to take a whole body approach. We don’t just treat the disease – we treat the person,” explained Dr. Sayegh when asked what makes this practice so unique and successful. The physicians help patients manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. “As a group we like to stress eating right and exercising – taking all those steps to decrease the risk of these conditions,” said Dr. Matthew Zimny. Knowing that time is short for today’s busy families, the practice offers extended office hours on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon. In addition to late-night hours, the office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. The office is located on 14 mile and Haggerty in Newberry Square (Hiller’s Shopping Center). Please feel free to call the office for more information or to schedule an appointment. Drs. Purcell, Sayegh and Zimny 39630 14 Mile Road Commerce Township, MI 48390 (248) 960-3727 AUGUST 2008 CHALDEAN NEWS 27
