Chaldean refugees celebrate first Christmas in 'freedom'

"Convert, flee or die": that was the ultimatum given to Chaldean Catholics in northern Iraq by Islamic State militants as they overran their towns in 2014.

In August 2014, IS came to Nagham al-Katta's village in Karemlash, south-east of Mosul, forcing her family to flee, leaving behind all their possessions, their homes and their friends.

Iraqi Chaldeans Slivana Toma with Ramz Habib and their son Savio, 2, were among thousands of Christians forced to flee Iraq. Photo: Kate Geraghty

Part of the oldest Christian religion in the world, 10 to 15 Chaldean families have been arriving in Australia every day for the past two months as part of a federal government agreement to take in 12,000 refugees from the Syrian-Iraqi humanitarian crisis.

This Christmas was first Christmas many of those families celebrated their faith with their families without the worry, stress and danger of being killed.

Iraqi Chaldean priest Father Denkha Joola (left) greets an Iraqi family who are spending their first Christmas in Australia. Photo: Kate Geraghty

After two years in a Jordanian refugee camp, Mrs al-Katta and her family arrived in Australia in August and is "very happy" she will be spending Christmas day with her extended family. "We pray for the peace in the world especially for Iraq and we hope that finish this bad situation for all the Christians and the people who are still there," Mrs al-Katta said.

In Iraq Mrs al-Katta completed a bachelor's degree in languages and hopes to continue her studies in Australia. Her husband's family stayed behind in Iraq and were forced to migrate further to the north where they have found safety, for now. "You can't say it's a safe place for them," Mrs al-Katta emphasised.

Also in the congregation were Ramz Habib and Slivana Toma, who were forced to flee from Islamic State while Mrs Toma was seven months pregnant.

"We are so happy to be in Australia," Mr Habib said in front of the Chaldean St Mary's Assumption Church.

Iraqi Chaldean Archbishop Amel Nona holds Christmas Mass at St Mary's Assumption Church in Fairfield, Sydney. Photo: Kate Geraghty

When IS came to their village in 2014, they forced their Muslim neighbours to convert from Shia to Sunni branch of Islam but Mr Habib and Mrs Toma chose to flee instead. It was a very difficult decision as Mrs Toma was pregnant with their son, Savio, who is now two years old. Mr Habib and Mrs Toma didn't have any plans for Christmas beyond church as their parents and rest of their family are still in a Jordanian refugee camp waiting for a visa.

The Chaldean Archbishop Amel Nona, who was one of the last priests to leave Mosul, staying until the "last day" possible, said Christians must love in the face of terrorism. "They [IS] actually want us to be like them – without love – so they can better justify the hatred that they have against us," The Archbishop said in a statement.

Father Denkha Joola, a Chaldean priest, led his first Christmas mass in "freedom" at St Thomas the Apostle Church in Western Sydney on Sunday. He said there are many similarities between Christmas in Iraq and Australia but the most profound difference isn't the weather.

"People aren't afraid when they finish the mass, sometimes when we did the Mass in Iraq we would be afraid someone could come to attack us," he said.

In Iraq, Christmas was a very stressful time of year, and he would check unknown cars parked near his church. "All the time when I was doing the mass, I'm just looking at the gates, I wanted to be sure there is nothing happening," he said.

Father Joola came to Australia in June this year to study at the Australian Catholic University and will return to Northern Iraq where he has been heavily involved in humanitarian work in Erbil. In March 2016, he spoke about the atrocities experienced by Chaldeans in Iraq to the US Congress which he described as a "genocide".

Since 2003, he said Chaldeans have been the target of unprovoked Islamic terrorism with priests and nuns kidnapped, tortured and killed and ancient scared sites desecrated.

"Please you can help my people even with one word, use one word: genocide, use it. If you can help my people to bring them here, to Australia please do it," Father Joola said.