Iraq Celebrates Lent and Ramadan in Harmony

This year, Iraq finds itself in a remarkable moment of spiritual harmony – in an event that occurs once every 30-33 years, Ramadan and Lent will coincide. 

Both began on the 18th of February this year. Ramadan is the month of prayer, and fasting from dawn to sunset in the Muslim calendar, whilst Lent is a 40-day period of fasting, prayer and almsgiving, by Christians, in preparation for Easter.

Many Iraqis view this shared season as an opportunity to strengthen mutual respect and deepen social bonds.

Although Islam is the official religion of Iraq, the country is also home to indigenous communities whose roots stretch back to the Mesopotamian era. Among them are Assyrians, Chaldeans and Syriacs, largely Christian communities, who will be observing Lent during this time. Their presence forms part of the layered story of Iraq’s cultural heritage.

In recent years, Iraq has taken steps to support its communities of all faiths. This can be seen in collaborative efforts between the government and UNESCO to rehabilitate Christian places of worship, including Al-Tahira Church in Mosul, photographed above. These restoration projects stand not only as an act of preservation, but also resilience and shared belonging to one nation.