Islamic State destroys another landmark church in Mosul

April 26, 2016

The Islamic State has destroyed a landmark Catholic church in Mosul, Iraq, the Fides news service reports.

The Church of the Miraculous Virgin-- also known as the "Clock Church" because of the clock on its prominent bell tower-- was razed by explosives, after Islamic troops evacuated the surrounding area. The church was thoroughly looted before it was destroyed, witnesses report.

The "Clock Church," whose chimes could be heard throughout the center of the city, was built in 1873 as a gift to the Christian community in Iraq from Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III. The Fides report notes that it might have been seen by Islamic fundamentalists as a symbol of French influence, as well as Christianity. 

 

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Further information:

• The "Clock Church" destroyed in central Mosul (Fides)