Pope Francis wears a face mask as he arrives at the Spanish Steps in Rome, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020. (Vigili del Fuoco via AP)
News of the pope’s proposed visit in March 2021 to the embattled Christian communities of Iraq brought elation to the people of Qaraqosh, a predominantly Syriac Catholic city in Northern Iraq’s Nineveh province.
Yohanna Towaya, a university professor and Qaraqosh resident, expects that when Pope Francis comes to Nineveh, all the Christians of the city and its surrounding villages will surely attend whatever public Masses or other events are scheduled. “He will give us a hope to stay, and also [his visit] means the Catholic Church does not forget the people of the East.”