Alqosh - Cultural and Religious Situation

Cultural and Religious Situation

Alqush, like so many other Iraqi cities which depended on its own economy and resources, had a high percentage of illiteracy, but that does not prevent having a long standing educational movement represented by Mar Mikha Al Nuhedri School at the beginning of the fifth century. The efforts of priests and deacons who stressed teaching the Aramaic language and its literature and many of them left their writings. Their names glow like the comforting light of the moon. Some of those names are:

• Reverend Attaya AlMeqdesi in 1517, a writer and a great calligrapher.
• Reverend Hermizd Alqushi, writer and poet in Aramaic, lived in mid sixteenth century till the dawn of the seventeenth.
• Reverend Israel Alqushi, writer and poet in Aramaic, founder of writers and calligraphers school, 1541-1611.
• Reverend Yosip Qasha Keryakoos- writer and poet, probably in the same era as Israel.
• Reverend Georgis Alqushi, talented in Aramaic.
• Reverend Yelda, son of Reverend Aabid Yeshoaa, writer and literary figure in Aramaic during the eighteenth century.
• Reverend Israel, son of Reverend Shemaa’on son of Reverend Israel, known as the Israel junior, writer and poet, lived in the eighteenth century.

A number of Alqushean men have their names planted in the conscious of the people of Alqush among them are:

• Yosip Rayes (Kozlah)
• Toma Tomas, a freedom fighter

After World War I and after establishing the kingdom rule in Iraq, the first elementary school was founded. The school taught topics in Arabic till the fourth grade and it gradually improved to offer six-year education. The Alqushean graduates of the elementary school were forced to pursue their education for the intermediate and secondary school in Baghdad, Mosul, Dehuk, and even Telkeppeh. After the national revolution of 1958, the first intermediate school in Alqush was established. Currently, Alqush houses the following schools:

• Alqush Official Kindergarten
• Alqush First Elementary School for Boys
• Alqush Elementary School for Girls
• Alqush Second Elementary School for Boys
• Alqush Secondary School for Boys (Intermediate and secondary)
• Alqush Secondary for Girls
• Commerce Secondary School

The residents of Alqush are Christians belonging to the Chaldean Catholic Church. Alqosh of course also houses many individuals who adhere to their own philosophies.

Alqush was a Patriarch center for this church for many centuries. A number of Alqusheans became Patriarchs themselves when it became hereditary in Aboun's family (Aamokka). Eleven Patriarchs consecutively were from this family to head the Church of East. Their tombs are still in Rabban Hermizd Monastery:

• Mar Shemaa’on VI, 1504–1538
• Mar Shemaa’on VII Bermama, 1538–1551
• Mar Shemaa’on the eighth Denkha, 1551–1558
• Mar Elia VI, 1558–1576
• Mar Elia VII, 1576–1591
• Mar Elia VIII, 1591–1617
• Mar Elia IX Shemaa’on, 1617–1660
• Mar Elia X Youhana Merojean, 1660–1700
• Mar Elia XI Merojean, 1700–1722
• Mar Elia XII Denkha, 1722–1778
• Mar Elia XIII Esho Eyaab, 1778–1804

Also, Alqush is honored with another 5 of her sons to head the Chaldean Catholic Church as Patriarchs:

• Mar Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa, founder of the Chaldean Catholic Church in 1552.
• Mar Yohannan VIII (Eliya) Hormizd, 1830-1838 (from Abouna family as well). He transferred the Patriarch's headquarter to Mosul.
• Mar Yosip O’doo, 1848-1878.
• Mar Yosip Emmanuael Tomika, 1900-1947.
• Mar Paulus Chiekho, 1958-1989.