Iraqi Christians in Germany have high hopes for Pope Francis' visit to their old home
For the first time, a pope is visiting Iraq. But wars and terrorist attacks have long since driven most Christians out of the country. Some Iraqi Catholics will be following the pope’s journey from Germany.
The Chaldean congregation holds mass every Sunday in a Catholic church in Berlin
"Because of the pandemic, it is difficult to travel from Germany to Iraq. So everyone wants to follow the pope's visit on television or YouTube," says Raad Washan Sarah Sharafana, a priest in Berlin.
He belongs to the Chaldeans, the Iraqi branch of Catholicism. For weeks now, when he celebrates mass in the Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd, the 51-year-old has also been praying for a safe and successful journey for the pope.