Amid Mosulâs Ruins, Pope Denounces Religious Fanaticism: Live Updates
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March 8, 2021, 10:12 a.m. ETMarch 8, 2021, 10:12 a.m. ET
On his third day in Iraq, Pope Francis visited a city reduced to rubble in the fight with the Islamic State, which had tortured followers of other faiths while it held control. Joyous crowds later welcomed him to Iraqâs Christian heartland.
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âHow cruel it is that this country, the cradle of civilization, should have been afflicted by so barbarous a blow,â Pope Francis said on Sunday in Mosul, Iraq.Credit.Andrew Medichini/Associated Press
Appearing on a brilliant red carpet against a backdrop of rubble and ruin, Pope Francis visited the once-vibrant Iraqi city of Mosul on Sunday to illustrate the terrible cost of religious fanaticism, showing how, in that ravaged place, the price had been blood.
Amid the Rubble of Mosul, Francis Offers a Salve for Iraq’s Wounds
The first pope ever to visit Iraq, Francis voiced sorrow and hope for a shrunken Christian community that has suffered persecution, and preached fellowship among religions.
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On his last full day in Iraq, the pope on Sunday was surrounded by rubble on his visit to the once-vibrant city of Mosul. He prayed for victims of all faiths who had endured war and armed conflict.CreditCredit.Alessandro Di Meo/EPA, via Shutterstock
March 7, 2021
MOSUL, Iraq After the Islamic State took control of Mosul seven years ago and declared it the capital of its caliphate, the terrorist group sought to strike fear deep into the West by vowing to conquer Rome.
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