Iraqis hope papal visit offered a roadmap to country s future cruxnow.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cruxnow.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Mar 6, 2021 rome bureau chief
Pope Francis, right, meets with Iraq s leading Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, Iraq, Saturday, March 6, 2021. The closed-door meeting was expected to touch on issues plaguing Iraq s Christian minority. Al-Sistani is a deeply revered figure in Shiite-majority Iraq and and his opinions on religious matters are sought by Shiites worldwide. (Credit: AP Photo/Vatican Media.)
Pope Francis’s March 5-8 visit to Iraq is historic for many reasons, not least of which is the Saturday meeting with the chief figure in Shia Islam, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
UR, Iraq– Pope Francis’s March 5-8 visit to Iraq is historic for many reasons, not least of which is Saturday’s meeting with the chief figure in Shia Islam, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
He will meet with political and religious leaders, including the prominent Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
But the pope has come under some scrutiny for traveling during the pandemic. While he has been vaccinated, many in Iraq have not. The Vatican s ambassador to the country, Mitja Leskovar, tested positive for COVID-19 last month.
Another concern is security. Militia groups in Iraq have fired rockets at areas that used to be safe.
But Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of the Kurdistan region, told France 24 that Iraqis are ready.
“We are taking all the precautionary measures to provide maximum security for his holiness’ visit to our region.
Pope Francis visit to Iraq shows how love will ultimately prevail arabnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from arabnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.