On the occasion of Christmas, a delegation of history professors at the College of Arts at the University of Basrah paid a field visit to the Church of the Virgin Mary of the Armenian (Orthodox) sect in Basra.  

The delegation included Dr. Sabla Talal, Dr. Nahla Abbar, Dr. Zainab Abbas, Dr. Moayad Ibrahim, Dr. Muhammad Salman, Dr. Asaad Abdel Aziz, Dr. Fouad Hussein Ali, Dr. Ahmed Abdel Sattar, and Dr. Raed Imad.

The delegation listened to a detailed explanation given by the pastor of the church, Guimod Sagitan, and the director, Mr. Watji Moses, about the history of the establishment of the church, which was founded in 1736 AD by Father Serop Ghalibian.