The head of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq has called for Christians, Muslims and Yazidis to unite against the ISIS.

Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako urged Christians to "stay united together on the land, where we were born, lived for 1400 years together with Muslims, sharing one civilisation."

He cited Matthew 12.25 - "Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin; and no town, no household divided against itself can last" - to emphasise the importance of unity.

"Let us prove that we are able to open up to each other and live with the difference of views and to hurry up as one team of women and men in order to save our country and ourselves," the Patriarch said in his Easter message.

We must "look at our tragedy and benefit from it", using it as a "driving force to restore confidence, tolerance and merging", he said.

Through "serious dialogue, openness and honesty," Iraq can "achieve national reconciliation, unity, partnership and peace,"he said.

As Lent concludes, the Patriarch urged Christians not to "keep looking at our wounds and lose hope but to celebrate next Sunday (27 March) Easter-Passover-Resurrection: as our most beautiful and joyful feast."

The patriarch also called Christians to remain in Iraq through the trial:

"I urge you to rely on wisdom and patience and to stay united together on the land, where we were born, lived for 1400 years together with Muslims, sharing one civilization," he said.

"Be careful from getting confused and do not let other persons, societies and countries take advantage of our anguish and end up in scattering our families [to] the four corners of the globe."