Dubai: Pope Francis will land in Iraq Friday in a historic visit, the first ever by a head of the Catholic Church to the Arab country, which is home to a sizeable Christian community that has seen its numbers decline significantly in the past two decades as the nation plunged into wars and terrorism following the 2003 US invasion.
The four-day visit, which is taking place despite the health concerns raised by some due to the coronavirus situation and the fragile security conditions in Iraq, comes at a crucial time for a country that is very much in need for unity and social peace, according to Iraq and Vatican officials.
Preparation for the visit of Pope Francis to Karakoch in Iraq. (Photo by ZAID AL-OBEIDI/AFP)
Intense preparations for Pope Francis historic visit to Iraq have been underway for several months, despite continued uncertainty about the safety and feasibility of the trip.
But, unless there is a last-minute change of events, the 84-year-old Francis will leave this Friday (March 5) to become the first pope in history to visit this war-ravaged Middle Eastern country.
He will spend just over three days in a country that no foreign head of state has toured for years. The pope is scheduled to visit several places including Baghdad, Erbil, Mosul, Karakoch, the Plain of Ur and the city of Najaf.
Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities
Militia Suspected of Iran Ties Takes Credit for Iraqi Kurdistan Bombing breitbart.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from breitbart.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The appearance of the eldest daughter of the later Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on Al Arabiya TV caused a diplomatic crisis between Baghdad, Riyadh and Amman, regional media reported yesterday. Ra.