Al-Saa'a Convent
Our Lady of the Hour Convent
Right from the start, the convent had religious, cultural and social dimensions, housing a church, a seminary, schools for boys and girls, as well as a hospital and a house for mission employees. A school for women teachers was later added.
The Dominicans also created the first printing press in Mesopotamia, publishing the first Bible in Arabic, the first Kurdish grammar and many other books of local interest.
In 1876, Empress Eugenie de Montijo of France, wife of Napoleon III, financed the bell tower, the first in Iraq. Installed in 1880, the bell tower clock tolled every hour, giving rhythm to the lives of locals.
During the city’s occupation by Daesh, Al-Saa’a church was damaged and its convent was looted and ransacked.
Putting local communities at the heart of reconstruction
In March 2020, UNESCO launched the preparatory phase for reconstruction in close collaboration with the Dominican Order and relevant Iraqi authorities. The site was secured and cleared of unexploded ordnance, and a detailed design was prepared for the works.
The final design was developed following extensive consultations with experts and local stakeholders, to meet local expectations and generate a sense of local ownership.
The active reconstruction phase began in April 2023. Funded by the United Arab Emirates, it focused on both restoring and modernizing the Convent’s architectural elements. To make the building more sustainable, a solar panel system was installed on the roof.
Also in 2023, the Convent received three new bells - named Gabriel, Michael and Raphael - cast by the artisanal foundry Cornille Havard in Normandy, France. The rehabilitation of the Convent was completed in January 2024.
Phase I: The church was stabilized and the exterior surfaces of the complex were rehabilitated.
Phase II: The interior of the complex was rehabilitated, along with the entire utility system.
The active reconstruction phase began.
The roofs of the complex were rehabilitated and the clock tower finalized.
Work was carried out on the interior of the church.
Rehabilitation work on the convent was completed.
Rehabilitation work on the convent was completed.
The interior of the church was finalized.
Rehabilitation of the House of Prayer
In 2022, UNESCO began rehabilitating the House of Prayer, a building next to the convent, as a multipurpose educational and cultural centre for the local community, in collaboration with the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH). Work was completed in February 2024. This centre will help build the capacities of Moslawis, including minorities, so they can lead the recovery of their city and safeguard their heritage.
3 questions to Brother Nicolas Tixier, representative of the Dominican Order in Mosul
What is the particularity of Mosul?
Brother Tixier— Mosul has always been a meeting place – a place where different paths converge. The Convent of Our Lady of the Hour was built by both Christians and Muslims. Over the last two decades it became a sanctuary frequented by the faithful of both religions. This is what characterizes Mosul: the city is a mosaic, marked by different hues which form a harmonious design. These links were shattered by the war. Today, we want to rediscover them.
What are the challenges of the Our Lady of the Hour project?
When the reconstruction of Mosul began, we were worried this part of our heritage would be forgotten. Without the drive of UNESCO, and the financial support of the United Arab Emirates, the reconstruction of the convent would never have been considered. The reason why the Revive the Spirit of Mosul initiative has created so much hope is because it has rebuilt the city’s morale. Rebuilding the city together is a way of rebuilding society. We want these sites to rediscover their purpose, to help breathe life into the three elements at the heart of the first Pope’s Mission to Mesopotamia – the religious, the cultural and the social. This convent has always been open to all, to people from all sectors of society and of all faiths, and to women and men alike.
Women seem to have an important place in the convent, can you tell us why?
In traditional societies, it’s important to have places in which women can come and go freely, and this includes religious sites. Our Lady of the Hour hosted the first school for girls in Mesopotamia and also the first college for female teachers. These Iraqi women then fanned out across the entire Nineveh Plains, and also travelled to the mountains as far as Zakho, in order to establish schools in the villages. Our mission has not changed. Today, there are 150 Dominican Sisters in Iraq, who follow the same type of instruction. Our most important raw material is humanity.
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