Pope Francis Encourages Iraq s Christians to Forgive and Rebuild russiaherald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from russiaherald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Pope Francis arrives for an interreligious meeting on the plain of Ur near Nasiriyah, Iraq, March 6. (CNS/Paul Haring)
UR, IRAQ Invoking the shared origins of Christians, Muslims and Jews steps from the Ziggurat ruins of the ancient city that the Prophet Abraham once called home, Pope Francis March 6 called on Iraq s religious leaders to help the country heal and rebuild following decades of violence.
In a potent address only about a month after the country s capital suffered its first suicide bombing in two years, the pontiff urged faith leaders to affirm that violence and extremism are betrayals of religion and that hatred of others is the greatest blasphemy.
By Courtney Mares
Iraqi Christians and Muslims alike have expressed excitment for Pope Francis’ upcoming trip to Iraq, an aid worker based in Erbil said.
Davide Bernocchi, Catholic Relief Services’ country representative for Iraq, said: “People are really hopeful and grateful for this visit. This country has been at the center of attention for bad news for so many years unfortunately, and now they are really happy to be the center of the world’s attention for a few days because of this great and positive event.”
“It’s really not just the Christians; it is the whole of the Iraqi people who are waiting for this visit . My sense is that with the exception of the small remnants of ISIS everyone else is really happy about this visit.”
CRS Welcomes Pope Francis on Historic Visit to Iraq crs.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from crs.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Binding, bonding, bridging: CRS project helps Iraqis trust again
Mar 3, 2021 catholic news service
Workers rebuild Mustafa Ali Fathi s family home in Hamdania, Iraq, Oct. 23, 2018, after it was destroyed during the conflict with Islamic State militants. Catholic Relief Services provided a core housing unit to his family, allowing the family to return to their property and restart their lives. (Credit: CNS photo/Hawre Khalid for Catholic Relief Services.)
A Catholic Relief Services project is helping residents returning to Iraq s Ninevah Plain rebuild their lives, communities and trust, which were ripped apart by Islamic State militant destruction. It s an area Pope Francis plans to visit on his historic papal trip to Iraq March 5-8.