ASIA/IRAQ - Initiatives to relaunch pilgrimages to Ur of the Chaldeans, after the visit of Pope Francis Vatican Media 2021-04-14 2021-04-12 Ur (Agenzia Fides) - The arrival of a dozen representatives of different Christian Churches from around the world is expected in the coming days in Ur of the Chaldeans, the Iraqi city from where, according to tradition, the journey of Patriarch Abraham, Father of all believers, began. On Saturday, May 8, the members of the delegation will pray together at Abraham's home, in a unique pilgrimage that also aims to express the hope of seeing the flow of pilgrimages in that area resume and grow, when the country has emerged from the pandemic crisis. The reason for the visit of the Christian leaders to Ur is the official installation of the Syrian Catholic bishop Firas Mundher Drdr as Patriarchal Exarch of Basra and the Gulf. The inauguration ceremony will take place in Basra on Friday, May 7, and will be attended by the Syrian Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, Ignace Youssif III Younan. The next day, Saturday, May 8, the Patriarch and the other clergy present at the inauguration of Exarch Firas Drdr will visit Ur. As the ankawa.com website points out, the visit of the ecclesiastical delegation is part of the attempt -also supported by local and national authorities - to promote the area of Ur of the Chaldeans as a pilgrimage destination, after this crucial place in the history of salvation hosted one of the key moments of Pope Francis' visit to Iraq (5-8 March 2021).