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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Pope Francis departed Baghdad after a three day historic visit to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
The Pope bid farewell to Iraq on Monday morning in a ceremony where he met with President Barham Salih one last time.
Pope Francis arrived in the Iraqi capital on Friday on the first papal visit to the country, where he met with Iraqi officials and other public figures, and celebrated a mass.
On the second day of his visit, the Pontiff visited Najaf to meet Shiite Marja Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
Hayder al-Khoei, expert on Iraq and Shia Islam described the meeting as “a profound statement about the importance of tolerance and dialogue in a turbulent region,” to NBC.
Sistani and Pope Francis discussed struggles of injustice, oppression, poverty, religious and ideological persecution, according to a statement from Sistani’s office.
The pope then took off to Dhi Qar province, where he and religious figures of different Iraqi religions got together and prayed at the ancient city of Ur.
Nasiriyah, the capital of Dhi Qar, has seen some of the bloodiest anti-government protests since 2019 when demonstrators took to the streets demanding improved government services and an end to corruption. A week before the pope’s visit, ten people were killed in Nasiriyah when security forces opened fire on protestors.
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi declared March 6, National Day of Tolerance and Coexistence after the Pontiff’s interfaith meeting.
Pope Francis concluded his second day in Iraq by holding Mass at Mar Yousif (St. Joseph) Cathedral in Baghdad.
On Sunday morning, Pope Francis arrived at Erbil International Airport and was greeted by Kurdistan Region officials.
After a welcoming ceremony and meeting with President Nechrivan Barzani and PM Masrour Barzani, the Pope headed off to Mosul, where he visited Church Square, surrounded by ruins of churches destroyed during the war with the Islamic State (ISIS) after 2014.
The Pontiff then headed to Qaraqosh’s Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-al-Kubra) church, the largest Christian church in Iraq, and spoke to victims of war and Christians of the area.
Pope Francis returned to Erbil in the afternoon where he was greeted by Christians on the streets of Ainkawa.
The Pontiff celebrated the largest Mass of his trip with 10,000 people at the Kurdistan Region capital’s Franso Hariri Stadium, named after Erbil's first Christian governor, who was assassinated in a terrorist attack on February 18, 2001.
Pope Francis ended the mass with a specific message for Iraq, which he says will always remain in his heart. “Salam, Salam, Salam,” said the Catholic leader, using the Arabic word for peace.
The Pope bid farewell to Iraq on Monday morning in a ceremony where he met with President Barham Salih one last time.
Pope Francis arrived in the Iraqi capital on Friday on the first papal visit to the country, where he met with Iraqi officials and other public figures, and celebrated a mass.
On the second day of his visit, the Pontiff visited Najaf to meet Shiite Marja Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
Hayder al-Khoei, expert on Iraq and Shia Islam described the meeting as “a profound statement about the importance of tolerance and dialogue in a turbulent region,” to NBC.
Sistani and Pope Francis discussed struggles of injustice, oppression, poverty, religious and ideological persecution, according to a statement from Sistani’s office.
The pope then took off to Dhi Qar province, where he and religious figures of different Iraqi religions got together and prayed at the ancient city of Ur.
Nasiriyah, the capital of Dhi Qar, has seen some of the bloodiest anti-government protests since 2019 when demonstrators took to the streets demanding improved government services and an end to corruption. A week before the pope’s visit, ten people were killed in Nasiriyah when security forces opened fire on protestors.
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi declared March 6, National Day of Tolerance and Coexistence after the Pontiff’s interfaith meeting.
Pope Francis concluded his second day in Iraq by holding Mass at Mar Yousif (St. Joseph) Cathedral in Baghdad.
On Sunday morning, Pope Francis arrived at Erbil International Airport and was greeted by Kurdistan Region officials.
After a welcoming ceremony and meeting with President Nechrivan Barzani and PM Masrour Barzani, the Pope headed off to Mosul, where he visited Church Square, surrounded by ruins of churches destroyed during the war with the Islamic State (ISIS) after 2014.
The Pontiff then headed to Qaraqosh’s Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-al-Kubra) church, the largest Christian church in Iraq, and spoke to victims of war and Christians of the area.
Pope Francis returned to Erbil in the afternoon where he was greeted by Christians on the streets of Ainkawa.
The Pontiff celebrated the largest Mass of his trip with 10,000 people at the Kurdistan Region capital’s Franso Hariri Stadium, named after Erbil's first Christian governor, who was assassinated in a terrorist attack on February 18, 2001.
Pope Francis ended the mass with a specific message for Iraq, which he says will always remain in his heart. “Salam, Salam, Salam,” said the Catholic leader, using the Arabic word for peace.
.jpg "A handout image released by the press office of Iraqi Prime Minister on its Facebook page on March 5, 2021 shows Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi receiving Pope Francis upon his arrival in the capital Baghdad. Photo: Iraqi Prime Minister's office/ AFP")
A handout image released by the press office of Iraqi Prime Minister on its Facebook page on March 5, 2021 shows Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi receiving Pope Francis upon his arrival in the capital Baghdad. Photo: Iraqi Prime Minister's office/ AFP
.jpg "Pope Francis (R) delivers a sermon at the Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation (Sayidat al-Najat) in the capital Baghdad at the start of the first ever papal visit to Iraq on March 5, 2021, while accompanied by Ignatius Joseph III Yunan (L), Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East of the Syriacs. Photo: Ahmad al-Rubaye / AFP")
Pope Francis (R) delivers a sermon at the Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation (Sayidat al-Najat) in the capital Baghdad at the start of the first ever papal visit to Iraq on March 5, 2021, while accompanied by Ignatius Joseph III Yunan (L), Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East of the Syriacs. Photo: Ahmad al-Rubaye / AFP
.jpg "This handout picture released by Ayatollah Sistani's media office shows Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani (C) meeting with Pope Francis (L) and his delegation, at his home in the holy city of Najaf, on March 6, 2021. Photo: Ayatollah Sistani's Media Office / AFP")
This handout picture released by Ayatollah Sistani's media office shows Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani (C) meeting with Pope Francis (L) and his delegation, at his home in the holy city of Najaf, on March 6, 2021. Photo: Ayatollah Sistani's Media Office / AFP
.jpg "A handout picture released by the Vatican media office shows Pope Francis standing with Iraqi religious figures during an interfaith service at the House of Abraham in the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq's Dhi Qar province, on March 6, 2021. Photo: VATICAN MEDIA / AFP")
A handout picture released by the Vatican media office shows Pope Francis standing with Iraqi religious figures during an interfaith service at the House of Abraham in the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq's Dhi Qar province, on March 6, 2021. Photo: VATICAN MEDIA / AFP
.jpg "Pope Francis (C), accompanied by the President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani (R), greets people dressed in traditional outfits upon his arrival at Erbil airport on March 7, 2021, in the capital of the autonomous region. Photo: Safin HAMED / AFP")
Pope Francis (C), accompanied by the President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani (R), greets people dressed in traditional outfits upon his arrival at Erbil airport on March 7, 2021, in the capital of the autonomous region. Photo: Safin HAMED / AFP
.jpg "Children sit on the floor along the nave as Pope Francis (background) is seated on the throne at the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-l-Kubra), in the predominantly Christian town of Qaraqosh (Baghdeda), in Nineveh province, some 30 kilometres from Iraq's northern Mosul on March 7, 2021. Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP")
Children sit on the floor along the nave as Pope Francis (background) is seated on the throne at the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-l-Kubra), in the predominantly Christian town of Qaraqosh (Baghdeda), in Nineveh province, some 30 kilometres from Iraq's northern Mosul on March 7, 2021. Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP
.jpg "Pope Francis speaks at a square near the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-l-Kubra), in the old city of Iraq's northern Mosul on March 7, 2021. Photo: Vincenzo Pinto / AFP")
Pope Francis speaks at a square near the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-l-Kubra), in the old city of Iraq's northern Mosul on March 7, 2021. Photo: Vincenzo Pinto / AFP
.jpg "A handout picture released by the Vatican media office, shows Pope Francis, adjusting his cape during at a square near the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-l-Kubra), in the old city of Iraq's northern Mosul on March 7, 2021. Photo: VATICAN MEDIA / AFP")
A handout picture released by the Vatican media office, shows Pope Francis, adjusting his cape during at a square near the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-l-Kubra), in the old city of Iraq's northern Mosul on March 7, 2021. Photo: VATICAN MEDIA / AFP
.jpg "Nuns wave flags of Iraq, Kurdistan, and the Holy See as they wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, on March 7, 2021, in the capital of the Kurdistan Region. Photo by Safin Hamed / AFP")
Nuns wave flags of Iraq, Kurdistan, and the Holy See as they wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, on March 7, 2021, in the capital of the Kurdistan Region. Photo by Safin Hamed / AFP
.jpg "Pope Francis blesses people as he arrives in the popemobile vehicle at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, on March 7, 2021, in the Kurdistan Region. Photo: Vincenzo Pinto / AFP")
Pope Francis blesses people as he arrives in the popemobile vehicle at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, on March 7, 2021, in the Kurdistan Region. Photo: Vincenzo Pinto / AFP
Pope Francis wraps up historic visit to Iraq
Pope Francis wraps up historic visit to Iraq
Pope Francis wraps up historic visit to Iraq
Pope Francis wraps up historic visit to Iraq
Pope Francis wraps up historic visit to Iraq
Pope Francis wraps up historic visit to Iraq
Pope Francis wraps up historic visit to Iraq
Pope Francis wraps up historic visit to Iraq
Pope Francis wraps up historic visit to Iraq