1,300-Year-Old Chaldean Church Collapses in Northern Iraq

Sharman (Aqrah), Iraq - A historic Chaldean Christian landmark has suffered a devastating collapse following heavy rains this week in northern Iraq.

The Mar Aha Church, an 8th-century Chaldean church located in the village of Sharman in the Aqrah (Akre) district, partially collapsed after intense rainfall weakened its ancient stone structure. The collapse has exposed severe deterioration caused by decades of neglect.

For more than 40 years, Mar Aha Church was illegally occupied and used as a private residence by Kurdish settlers, stripping the site of basic maintenance and accelerating its decay. During this period, the church (one of the last visible proofs of Chaldean presence in the region) was left vulnerable to the elements, despite its immense historical, religious, and cultural value.

In July 2023, after decades of encroachment, the Chaldean Church successfully reclaimed Mar Aha, with plans to restore and preserve the ancient site. The recovery was widely seen as a symbolic victory for the protection of Chaldean heritage and the rule of law in northern Iraq. However, restoration work had not yet begun when this week’s heavy rains struck.

According to local observers, the collapse revealed long-standing structural damage, cracked stonework, and weakened foundations, conditions directly linked to years of unauthorized use and neglect.

Mar Aha Church stood for over 1,300 years, surviving empires, wars, and upheaval. Its collapse underscores the fragile state of Iraq’s Christian heritage sites and the urgent need for immediate protection, restoration funding, and enforcement against illegal occupation.

Community members and heritage advocates are now calling for swift action to stabilize what remains of the church and prevent further loss - not only at Mar Aha, but across dozens of abandoned and endangered Chaldean Christian sites throughout the region.

Chaldean Press will continue to follow developments and report on efforts to safeguard Iraq’s ancient Christian heritage.