A Friend, a shepherd, a witness: ACN remembers Iraqi bishop
It is with sadness and gratitude that Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) bids farewell to Bishop Paul Thabet Habib of Alqosh, who passed away on June 20, following a battle with cancer. To us, he was not only a close partner but a true companion in mission.
Bishop Thabet Habib Yousif Mansor Almako played a key role during the most difficult years for Christians in Iraq. In 2014, when ISIS forced more than 120,000 people to flee the Nineveh Plain, he took the lead in offering pastoral care to the displaced in Erbil. Yet his commitment went far beyond the spiritual.
Born in 1976 in Karamlesh, Bishop Thabet left an indelible mark on the hearts of the faithful in the towns and villages of the Nineveh Plain, whom he served with great dedication during those dark times. He was one of the first to return to Karamlesh after it was liberated in 2017.
Through the Reconstruction Office of Karamlesh, which he founded, Bishop Thabet helped document the devastation of the town and later led efforts to rebuild its churches, homes, and spiritual life. He encouraged many families to return, settle again, and begin cultivating their land once more.
The good bishop was deeply rooted in the land of his ancestors and constantly urged his people not to abandon their origins. He cared for his flock like a mother who never sleeps. He remained by their side, visiting families, listening to them, attentive to their needs, carrying their prayers and concerns in his heart, and striving to meet both their pastoral and material necessities.
He did not merely support ACN’s campaigns — he became a part of them. Many of our benefactors will remember him with a hammer and shovel in hand, asking for help to rebuild homes, churches and schools. His commitment did not require long speeches; it spoke through action.
But ACN’s relationship with Bishop Thabet began even before the conflict. In 2012, while still a parish priest in Karamlesh, we supported him with a scholarship to complete his studies in Patristics at the Augustinianum Institute in Rome.
That early support marked the beginning of a long journey together, with more than 12 projects in the past five years alone.
He was a member of the Nineveh Reconstruction Committee, established by ACN, actively participating in numerous projects and pastoral and social programmes, with special focus on youth and families. Among many others, the reconstruction of St Kiryakos Church and the Chapel of the Immaculate in Batnaya stand out.
In 2022, he was appointed Bishop of Alqosh, where he continued with the same spirit. In towns such as Tesqopa, Batnaya, and Baqofa, he did not just oversee the work — he remained close to the people, actively involved in reconstruction. At the inauguration of the convent of St. Catherine in Batnaya, supported by ACN, he reminded the faithful: “Wherever you are, your point of reference is your town. Return to it — you are its beating heart.”
Bishop Thabet understood from the very beginning the purpose of our mission: to support Christians where they are, so they can continue to be a light in places where all seems lost. With him, that mission became more tangible, more personal and more viable.
ACN staff and benefactors entrust him to the Lord and pray for his eternal rest. And with hope, we trust that from heaven he will continue watching over his people and over ACN, helping us to preserve the great legacy of faith, love, and service he has left us — so that it may be passed on to future generations, called to follow in his footsteps.
