The spokesman of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Sunday invited Pope Francis' to visit Syria, describing the pontiff's trip to Iraq as an "important message" to Middle Eastern governments to keep Christians safe.

"We have lived together in this region for many years and have been subjected to years of persecution, so it makes sense now that we work together to achieve a better future," Kino Gabriel, who is Christian, told Rudaw.

The spokesman said that self rule in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES) is new, and authorities in northeastern Syria (Rojava) are hoping its principles are exported to other countries.

"It is important to allow Christians to return to their homeland, and I call the Pope to visit Syria to send a message of peace that can accelerate finding a solution for the Syrian crisis and ensures the rights of all components," Gabriel said.

The SDF is the only ally of the Coalition against ISIS on the ground. It announced the territorial defeat of ISIS in March 2019 and has conducted multiple military operations against remnants of the group since then.
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Erbil’s governor thanked the people of the Kurdistan Region capital for their hospitality as Pope Francis held a historic Mass in the city.

Governor Omed Khoshnaw offered a message of appreciation to "the great people of Erbil for the warm welcoming of his Holiness Pope Francis on his trip to the Kurdistan Region on March 7."

In a statement, the governor expressed his gratitude toward the people of the Kurdistan Region "for standing hand in hand and for showing the peaceful coexistence during such an event and every day."

"I would like to also thank the security forces, Zeravani, Peshmerga, the traffic police and all the other members that played a role in keeping this visit and the city safe," said Khoshnaw, also thanking the Ministry of Municipality and Tourism for keeping the city clean.

Omed Khoshnaw specifically mentioned the people of Ainkawa, who waited for the pontiff on the streets as he passed through on his way to the evening mass at Franso Hariri stadium.

The Catholic leader celebrated Mass at the football stadium to a 10,000-strong crowd.

Pope's visit to Erbil was part of a three day visit to Iraq, the first papal trip to the country.

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In the Mass he headed at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, Pope Francis beckoned peace and unity brotherhood to thousands of attendees, and to viewers worldwide.

“Now the time draws near from my return to Rome, yet Iraq will always remain with me in my heart. I ask all of you dear brothers and sisters to work together in unity for a future of peace and prosperity that leaves no one behind and discriminates against no one.”

It’s message is one he delivered throughout his trip to Iraq - at the ruins of Mosul’s Old City, in the recovering town of Qaraqosh, and in Baghdad. Though Erbil may present itself as a safe and diverse haven relative to the rest of  Iraq, its message carries significance in this city too.

A large crack appeared in that self-presentation on February 15, when a barrage of rockets were aimed at the airport in the west of the city. Two people were killed in the attack -- one a foreign, civilian contractor, the other an IDP from Iraq’s Salahaddin province, and thirteen people were injured.

The attack was claimed by Saraya Awlia al-Dam (Guardian of Blood Brigades), a group that up until then was virtually unknown. When it gave its reasons for the attack, it said it was a reminder that there is no safe for US troops in Iraq. The attack was universally condemned, and Iran slammed insinuations that it had any involvement in it. However, in a video released by the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC), an alleged perpetrator of the attack said it had been conducted using Iranian-made missiles.
 
Unexpectedly, the brigade announced that it would hold fire for the duration of the pope’s visit.

Rocket fire at Erbil is a reminder of a dark, volatile time in the recent history of both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. When ISIS ripped through northern and western Iraq in 2014, the group got to within 40 kilometers of Erbil that summer, compelling many of the city’s fearful inhabitants to flee the advance, belongings in hand and car boot. As ISIS advanced with impossible speed, it said it would take Rome too, “We will conquer your Rome, break your crosses, and enslave your women,” one of its spokespeople said early on in its reign.

Just under seven years later, both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region continue to reel from the aftermath of the reign of ISIS. The pope’s visit is no cure-all, but it has brought some joy to a city, a region, and a country that has been through so much.
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Pope Francis is celebrating a historic mass in the Kurdistan Region capital of Erbil, the largest liturgy of his three day trip to Iraq.

The Catholic leader arrived at Franso Hariri stadium to a 10,000-strong crowd. Overjoyed followers swarmed the popemobile to receive blessings from the Catholic leader. 

When arriving on stage, Pope Francis incensed the altar and a statue of Virgin Mary that was decapitated and its hands cut off by the Islamic State (ISIS) in the Christian town of Karamlesh during the group’s reign in the Nineveh Plains from 2014 to 2017. The pope introduced the mass with a liturgical greeting, followed by other speakers.

“Here in Iraq, how many of your brothers and sisters, friends, and fellow citizens bear the wounds of war and violence. Wounds both visible and invisible,” said the leader, who is on his second day of his apostolic trip to Iraq. “The temptation is to react to these and other painful experiences with human power, with human wisdom, instead, Jesus shows us the way of God, the path that he took, the path on which he calls us to follow him.”

“To cleanse our hearts, we need to dirty our hands, to feel accountable and not to simply look on as our brothers and sisters are suffering,” added Pope Francis at the event where many worry of the spread of coronavirus, despite the football stadium only being filled to partial capacity.

The mass is being celebrated at Franso Hariri Stadium, named after Erbil's first Christian governor, who was assassinated in a terrorist attack on February 18, 2001. After his death, the Kurdistan Regional Government renamed the Erbil football stadium to commemorate his life.

Following his arrival in the Kurdistan Region earlier in the day, Pope Francis ventured to the town of Qaraqosh in the Christian heartland of the Nineveh Plains and Iraq’s second largest city Mosul.

“Even amid great poverty and difficulty, many of you have generously offered concrete help and solidarity to the poor and suffering. That is one of the reasons that made me come as a pilgrim in your midst, to thank you and to confirm you and your faith in witness,” added Pope Francis during the Erbil mass, where he extended a “heartfelt greeting to the beloved Kurdish people.”

Archbishop of Erbil Bashar Warda thanked the Pope for his journey to Iraq on behalf of the crowd gathered at the stadium.

“We thank you for your courage, that you would come here to our troubled land, a land so filled with violence, a place of endless disputes, displacement and suffering among the people. And that you would do this in this time of global pandemic and crisis makes real to us now the words of Christ ‘do not be afraid’,” said Warda at the mass.“We give you our thanks for your prayers for the persecuted and the marginalized here in Iraq and around the world.”

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.

Updated at 18:25

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Before Pope Francis arrived at Franso Hariri Stadium, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Transport and Communications, Ano Abdoka told Rudaw of one of the gifts the government gave to the Pontifex.

“The KRG gifted his Holiness more than one gift, but I would like to talk about a certain gift that was made by a group of young people from Ainkawa," Abdoka said. "They personally asked President Masoud Barzani to hand his Holiness the gift himself."

The gift was a wooden cross decorated with pieces of fabric that belonged to a Peshmerga fighter killed while fighting for the lives of Christians in Tel Sqof, Abdoka said.

"It also held stones from different ancient churches of Iraq including Erbil Citadel, Mar Georges (St George's) church, Bedyal church in Barzan, and the church in Batnaya.”
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Pope Francis has arrived at Franso Hariri stadium in Erbil to a 10,000-strong crowd.  Overjoyed followers swarm the Popemobile, receiving blessings from the Catholic leader. 

Crowds of people lined the streets of Ainkawa, a predominantly Christian town near Erbil, to catch a glimpse of the Pope as he returned to Erbil by car from Qaraqosh.  Continue Reading

My name is Beshara Habeeb, and I am a 19-year-old Chaldean Christian Catholic from Shaqlawa.

“I come as a pilgrim of peace in the name of Christ, the Prince of Peace,” is what His Holiness Pope Francis said in his speech. The Pope’s visit to Kurdistan and Iraq is indeed a historical event and a leap towards peace. His Holiness Pope Francis is the first pope to visit the birthplace of Abraham and to celebrate mass in Kurdistan and Iraq. His purely religious and spiritual visit bears a message of unity and love, encouraging peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.

The Pope’s visit also serves as a reminder of the vanishing religious minorities, which needs to be addressed. This restores faith among Christians and the community in general that better things lie ahead.

According to the Pope’s schedule, a Mass will be held at Franso Hariri Stadium in Kurdistan Region’s capital of Erbil on Sunday. I will surely attend the mass, to be part of this massive assembly of Christians from all around Iraq and Kurdistan in the presence of His Holiness Pope Francis, praying for tranquility in this war-torn country and for its people. We expect the pope’s visit to bring joy and lasting understanding to all parts of Kurdistan and Iraq. My family, friends and I are all very excited and looking forward to being in the presence of His Holiness tomorrow.
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A tolling church bell welcomed Pope Francis to Qaraqosh, a Christian town in the Nineveh Plains that was ravaged by war with the Islamic State group (ISIS).

In the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the pope greeted residents of the town who had fled ISIS in 2014 and returned to destroyed churches and homes. People wiped tears from their faces and kissed the pope’s hand in what is the largest church in Iraq, half of which had been burned by ISIS militants. 

Dhuha Sabah Abdullah, a mother who lost a child in the war with ISIS, told her story to the pope. “Our strength comes from our faith,” she said before sharing a few private words with the pope. 

“Our gathering here today shows that terrorism and death never have the last word,” Pope Francis told the gathered faithful. “The last word belongs to God and to his son, the conqueror over sin and death. Even amid the ravages of terrorism and war, we can see with the eyes of faith, the triumph of live over death.”

He commended the Christian community of Qaraqosh for their resiliency in returning to their homes and rebuilding their church, telling them, “You are not alone, the entire church is close to you with prayers and concrete charity.”

“Dear friends, this is the time to restore not just buildings, but also the bonds of community that unite communities and families, the young and the old together,” said the pope. Many children were present, sitting on the floor and waving flags and flowers. 

“We look upon our children knowing that they will inherit not only a land, a culture, and a tradition, but also the living fruits of faith that are God’s blessings upon this land. So I encourage you, do not forget who you are and where you come from, do not forget the bonds that hold you together, do not forget to preserve your roots,” said the pope. 

“Surely there will be moments when faith can waiver, when it seems that God does not see or act. This was true for you in the darkest days of the war, but it is true too in these days of the global health pandemic, where there is great insecurity. At times like these remember, Jesus is by your side. Do not stop dreaming. Do not give up. Do not lose hope.”

A day before international Women’s Day, Pope Francis also paid tribute to women, saying: “I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all the mothers and women of this country, courageous women who continue to give life in spite of wrongs and hurts. May women be respected and protected. May they be shown respect and provided with opportunities.”

After a prayer, the pope wrote a message in the guestbook: “From this church destroyed and rebuilt, a symbol of the hope of Qaraqosh and of all Iraq, I ask of God, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the gift of peace.” He then greeted many people personally – priests, nuns, security forces, and civilians – smiling and shaking hands  as we walked through the crowded church that rang with the joyful sounds of ululation. 
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Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani had a brief meeting with Pope Francis at Erbil airport where the pontiff stopped off before going to Mosul. 

Barzani welcomed the pope to Kurdistan, saying his visit is “a great honor for us and a source of pride for the people of Kurdistan,” according to the president’s office. 

The two first met in 2015, when the Kurdistan Region was welcoming hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the Islamic State group (ISIS). 

Barzani told the pope that the Kurdistan Region believes in the principles of freedom of religion, forgiveness, tolerance, and co-existence. “We will protect this tradition and culture with all our might.”

“We have always been in favor of peace and dialogue. We reject terrorism and extremism. We will never allow any religious or ethnic groups to become victims of terrorism and extremism,” he said. 

Describing religious and ethnic pluralism as a “source of richness and strength,” Barzani said, “Christians are a fundamental and inseparable part of Kurdistan. This peace-loving community has played and will play a critical role in reconstructing, developing and protecting this land. We will not refrain from doing everything in our power to protect them.”

“Your Holiness’ visit has brought blessings for all of us. We ask for your prayer and every assistance that you can provide for Kurdistan and its people,” said Barzani. 

Pope Francis thanked Barzani for the warm reception he received, saying “For a long time, I have wanted to visit the Kurdistan Region and I am very happy that I managed to respond to your invitation today.”

“I am grateful that, despite being in war, you received the displaced Christians and other minorities from Mosul, Nineveh Plains and Qaraqosh. You opened your arms to Christians,” said the pope. 

“I have come here to pray for you, Christians, and the whole of humanity. The enemy came to destroy this county but you served and opened your arms to the displaced Christians and other groups. War is destruction but you defeated the enemy and reconstructed your country.”

“I have come to bless this land and its soil. You are holy … pray for me too. I thank you for all you have done and are doing with all the religious groups. There is freedom in Kurdistan. I thank you again for your warm welcome,” said Pope Francis. 
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Standing on a platform in a square surrounded by the destruction of churches, mosques, homes, and businesses in Mosul, Pope Francis prayed for the victims of war and violence. 

The pontiff was welcomed with ululations and cries of ‘Viva Papa Francesco!’

Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul Najeeb Michaeel thanked the pope for coming to Mosul as a “pilgrim of peace, a voice that awakens consciences.”

Gutayaba Aga, head of Mosul’s social and cultural council, invited the city’s Christian families to return to the homes they had fled during the scourge of the Islamic State group (ISIS). 

In June 2014, Syriac pastor Fr. Emmanuel Raeed fled Mosul when it was taken over by ISIS along with 500 Christian families. Today, there are only about 70 families in his parish, he told the pope. He recounted how he was welcomed on his return to Mosul by his Muslim brothers and sisters, labourers and leaders, “Christians, Jews, and Muslims together.”

Before beginning to pray, Pope Francis said the cooperation between people in Mosul showed how it is possible to hope in reconciliation and new life. 

“The tragic diminution of Jesus’ disciples here and across the Middle East does incalculable harm, not just to the individuals and communities concerned, but also to the society they leave behind. Indeed, such a richly diverse cultural and religious fabric as this is, is weakened by the loss of any of its members, however small. As with one of your intricately designed carpets, if one small thread is removed, it damages the entire carpet,” he said. 

“Here in Mosul, the tragic consequences of war and hostility are all too evident. How cruel it is that this country, the cradle of civilization, was so cruelly hit by such a violent storm that afflicted it by such a barbarous blow, with ancient places of worship destroyed and many thousands of people, Muslims, Christians, Yazidis, and others who were cruelly annihilated by terrorism or forcibly displaced or killed.”

“Today despite everything we reaffirm our conviction that fraternity is more durable than fratricide, that hope is more powerful than hatred, that peace is more powerful than war. This conviction speaks with greater eloquence than the passing voices of hatred and violence and it can never be silenced by the blood spilled by those who pervert the name of God to pursue paths of destruction.”

The pope drew attention to two pillars of the Mosul skyline – the al-Nouri mosque with its leaning al-Hadba minaret and the Church of Our Lady of the Hour with its clock tour. He prayed for understanding of God’s plan of love, peace, and reconciliation. “Make us realize that only in this way, by putting it into practice immediately, can this city and this country be rebuilt, and hearts torn by grief be healed.”

He also offered up a prayer for “those who caused such harm to their brothers and sisters.  May they repent, touched by the power of your mercy.”
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Pope Francis’ visit to Mosul and Qaraqosh carries added significance. There he will witness the destruction caused by the war with the Islamic State group (ISIS) and pray for victims of war and terrorism. 

"We wanted him to visit the old city to see the price Mosul has paid because of Islamic State," Nineveh Governor Najm al-Jabouri told Rudaw’s Halkawt Aziz on Sunday morning. 

"The Pope will especially visit Qaraqosh, where he will see the high level that the city has reached in terms of services," he said. "We are very proud of the town, for it is the best town in Iraq when it comes to the level it has reached in infrastructure, services, churches." Continue Reading

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani was among the political delegation that welcomed Pope Francis to Erbil. The Kurdistan Region has always supported “dialogue and peace, and believes in freedom and coexistence,” Barzani told the pontiff at the airport.

Nechirvan Barzani’s predecessor Masoud Barzani was also at the airport. When the pope landed, he tweeted that the pope’s visit is “indeed historic, carrying the noble message of peaceful co-existence.”

A colourful crowd, dressed in traditional clothing and waving olive branches welcomed the pope with song. 

The crowd welcoming Pope Francis sang and waved olive branches when he arrived in Erbil. #PopeInIraq#PopeInKurdistan pic.twitter.com/pA0nXDVqA4

— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) March 7, 2021

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Pope Francis arrives in Erbil in the Kurdistan Region on Sunday morning, greeted by Kurdish officials, representatives of different religious denominations, and the Christian community. 

A choir welcomed the pope to the airport as he stepped out of his plane. President Nechirvan Barzani, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and a number of high-ranking church officials greeted the Pope who has been in Iraqi since Friday on an official visit. 

Pope Francis will stay in Erbil for a short time on Sunday morning to meet with Kurdish officials and then he will travel to Mosul by helicopter to say a prayer in the war-ravaged city.
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Pope Francis begins the third day of his visit to Iraq with a stop in Erbil where he will meet with Kurdistan Region leaders before going to Mosul. 

In Mosul, the pope will offer a prayer in Hosh al-Bieaa (Church Square) for the victims of war, the ruins of which he will see during his trip to the northern Iraqi city. See here for photos of preparations for the pontiff’s visit to Mosul.

Pope Francis will then go to Qaraqosh in the Nineveh Plains, considered the Christian capital of Iraq, and visit the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Less than half the town’s population has returned home after the reign of the Islamic State group (ISIS). They discovered their homes and places of worship in ruins. Residents of the town hope that the pope’s visit will help to heal their wounds, but they are pessimistic about seeing any real improvement in their scarred town.  

This evening, the pope will celebrate mass at Erbil’s Franso Hariri Stadium, named after Erbil's first Christian governor. Franso Toma Hariri was a senior member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and served as the governor of Erbil from 1996 until his assassination in a terrorist attack on February 18, 2001. After his death, the Kurdistan Regional Government renamed the Erbil football stadium to commemorate his life. 

Ten thousand people are expected to attend the papal Mass. 
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