BAGHDAD: In the sacristy of St. Joseph’s Chaldean Cathedral in Baghdad’s Karrada district, Rev. Nadhir Dako lets out a tired sigh.
Not only has he and his team of volunteers been working hard to prepare for the arrival of Pope Francis, he is also weary of the growing hardship faced by Iraqis in general and the Christian community in particular.
“There are no more than 150 families of faithful left” in his parish, Dako told Arab News. “All the others fled to Jordan, Turkey or Europe, and no one has been able to return because of the economic crisis or because the armed militias seized their property and their homes.”
| UPDATED: 07:26, Fri, Mar 5, 2021
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On Friday, Pope Francis will embark on his visit - the first trip by a pontiff to the birthplace of the Eastern Churches. The Pope took to Twitter on Thursday to tell his followers about the three-day pilgrimage.
Updated: March 5, 2021, 9:53 am
Pope Francis gives a blessing as he prepares to fly to Baghdad from Fiumicino’s International airport Leonardo da Vinci, near Rome (Cecilia Fabiano/ LaPresse/AP)
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Pope Francis was heading to Iraq on Friday to urge the country’s dwindling number of Christians to stay put and help rebuild the country after years of war and persecution, brushing aside the coronavirus pandemic and security concerns to make his first-ever papal visit.
Pope Francis Begins Visit to Iraq The Media Line Staff 03/05/2021
Pope Francis left Rome Friday on a four-day trip to Iraq. It is the first papal visit to Iraq, and Francis’ first international trip since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Iraq has dispatched thousands of additional security officers to protect the pontiff during his visit to four Iraqi provinces. He is scheduled to lead Mass in a church in Baghdad, the site of several rocket attacks in recent weeks. On Wednesday at least 10 rockets struck the Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar province, which hosts US and Iraqi troops. While in Baghdad, Francis is scheduled to meet Iraqi President Barham Salih and other government officials. The pope also will visit Ur, the birthplace of the biblical Abraham.