Fr. Georges Jahola in Al-Tahira church in Bakhdida in November 2016, shortly after the town's liberation. Photo courtesy of Fr. Jahola.

Courtesy photo
Fr. Georges Jahola in Al-Tahira church in Bakhdida in November 2016, shortly after the town's liberation.

The cathedral that the pope will visit in Bakhdida, served a growing Christian community, until the Islamic State turned the cathedral into an indoor shooting range from 2014-2016.