'We are so happy' - Catholics meet to celebrate Mass first time in two years

'They want to give a message to the world.'

As ISIS is cleared from Christian cities in the Middle East, the faithful are finally able to reconvene for Mass.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Late last month, Christians were able to celebrate their first Mass in a charred church outside Mosul.

Now, the Catholic Herald reports more Catholics are able to return to their broken cities.

The town of Bashiqa has finally been liberated from Islamic State forces.

The Mart Shoomy Assyrian Church was able to celebrate its first Mass on Wednesday in the ransacked church.

Father Elkhoury Alfaran Elkhoury shared: "We are so happy at the liberation.

"They want to give a message to the world, and that message is damage, their message is destruction, their message is death."

The church was severely damaged but God was still there.

Father Bools Mate Afram, an Orthodox priest in Bashiqa, shared he would return to Mosul once it was freed but admitted many will choose to stay away.

Many Christians say that under no conditions will they return to Mosul city itself because the chances that it will be a secure and safe city, even after Daesh is gone, are very weak.

"I know many families who want to go back but they need international protection to be able to live in Nineveh plains again."

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