Armenians in Kirkuk celebrate Christmas, call to strengthen community

Shafaq News/ 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.

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.

Ankin, a congregant, described the celebration as a moment of hope. “We attended a blessed Mass at the Virgin Mary Church and prayed for peace and coexistence in the region. We hope the language of war ends, and people experience beautiful, peaceful days,” she said.

Despite the festive spirit, Ankin echoed concerns over the dwindling Armenian numbers in Kirkuk due to migration. “Armenian families are encouraging youth marriages to sustain their numbers in Kirkuk, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region. We wish for peace and the return of displaced people to their homes,” she said.

Mati Massis, another member of the community, estimated that the Armenian population across Iraq is now around 20,000, spread across Baghdad, Kirkuk, Basra, and the Kurdistan Region. “In the 1957 census, our population was approximately 750,000, but migration has reduced the Armenian community in Iraq to about 10,000 today,” he said.

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.