Seeing the Faith of the Enemy

Basrah, Iraq

Sister Yvette leads her first Communion class at St. Teresa Chaldean Catholic Church in Basrah, Iraq. In this church on a Sunday night last October, Christian women gathered to pray for peace. On November 22, 2002, Christians across Iraq—anxious about a possible U.S. military attack on their country—fasted and prayed for peace to prevail.

"We need peace more than everything there is," said Iraqi Roman Catholic Archbishop Djibrael Kassab, "more than we need bread." There are 5,000 Christians in the Basrah area, and 720,000 in Iraq overall.