FOR the second time in three months, St George’s, Baghdad, has been damaged by large explosions aimed at Iraqi government buildings in the city. At least 155 people were killed, and hundreds more were injured, when ministries were targeted in a double suicide-bombing last Sunday.

The Chaplain of St George’s, Canon Andrew White, who is also president of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East (FRRME), said that the two explosions inflicted “serious damage to the church compound, the clinic, the bookshop, the schoolrooms, and the Mothers’ Union building”.

The building suffered more this time than from the earlier bombing, Canon White said. “Even the window frames and the doors were blown out. All the cars in the com­pound and the Danish memorial were des­troyed.”

In his statement, Canon White described last Sunday as “a terrible day for us. But even in the blood and trauma and turmoil, there are things for which we can, and indeed must, praise our God. The carnage was terrible, but it could have been much worse.” Had the bombs exploded a few hours later, many people would have been inside the church.

Despite the latest setback, St George’s would continue to offer spiritual and practical support to the Iraqi people, Canon White said. He de­scribed the work of the church as “essential”. “We must continue to provide a place of worship for Iraqi Christians, and treat the medical needs of Iraqi civilians. We must continue to engage with the senior religious leaders from across the sectarian divides, working with them to challenge the belief systems that lie behind this terrible slaughter.”

Elections are scheduled to be held across Iraq in mid-January. Most political observers expect an increase in the level of violence, and rising poli­tical tension may result in sectarian clashes, while armed groups opposed to the government will hope to des­tabilise the country and disrupt the election process.

But squabbles within parliament over the election law could result in postponement of the poll, thus considerably slowing progress towards normal political life in Iraq.