Pope urges end to violence as he makes historic Iraq visit
No pope has ever visited Iraq, home to one of the world's oldest Christian communities
5 March 2021 • 4:33pm
Pope Francis visits the Syro-Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad
Credit: Sam Tarling
Pope Francis landed in Baghdad on Friday on the first ever papal visit to Iraq, a deeply symbolic and potentially dangerous trip to rally the country's dwindling Christian population.
The 84-year old was greeted on the runway by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, an honour guard in white plumed helmets, and lines of dancing men and women wearing the traditional folkloric costumes of Iraq's numerous ethnic groups.