Pope Francis visits Iraq, calls on end to "violence and extremism"

Pope Francis put an end to "violence and extremism" in his opening speech on the first papal visit to Iraq, long plagued by war and now gripped by the coronavirus pandemic.

Friday, 5th March 2021

Pope Francis put an end to "violence and extremism" in his opening speech on the first papal visit to Iraq, long plagued by war and now gripped by the coronavirus pandemic. The 84-year-old braved a second wave of the global pandemic. It renewed security fears to make a "long-awaited" journey to comfort one of the world's oldest Christian communities while also deepening his dialogue with Muslims. READ MORE NEWS HERE "May violent action and extremism, factions and intolerance come to an end," Francis urged in a moving speech at the presidential palace in Baghdad on Friday. Francis landed at Baghdad International Airport that afternoon, where he was greeted by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi, as well as groups showcasing Iraq's diverse folk music and dance. He then met with President Barham Salih - who addressed the official invitation to the pope in 2019 and other government and religious figures. READ MORE NEWS HERE At the palace, the head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics delivered a moving speech, emphasizing Christianity's deep roots in Iraq. "The age-old presence of Christians in this country, and their contributions to the life of the nation, form a rich heritage that they want to continue to put at the service of all," Pope Francis said. He also urged Iraqi officials to "fight" the scourge of corruption, abuse of power, and contempt of law in a country that is consistently one of the most corrupt by Transparency International. READ MORE NEWS HERE The pope, a prominent advocate for interfaith talks, also praised other devastated Iraqi minorities. "Here, among so many people who have suffered, my thoughts turn to the Yazidis, innocent victims of senseless and cruel atrocities," he said. Like the Christian population of Iraq, the esoteric Yazidi community was devastated in 2014 when ISIL (ISIS) swept away much of northern Iraq. "Victory" over death The visit is the pope's first trip abroad since the coronavirus pandemic, which made him feel "caged" in Vatican City. Iraq has endured decades of war, is still searching for ISIL cells, and now faces a second stiff number of coronavirus infections, with more than 5,000 new cases and dozens of deaths daily. The authorities imposed a complete lockdown on the papal voyage, meaning that large crowds would not greet Francis as on other foreign voyages. READ MORE NEWS HERE The pope has been vaccinated and was seen taking off his mask on Friday to speak with officials and religious figures in Baghdad, days after Iraq launched its modest vaccination campaign. "I will try to follow directions and not shake hands with everyone, but I do not want to stay too far," Francis said before his arrival. Eleanor Robson, who specializes in ancient Middle Eastern science at the University of Cambridge, told that the visit was significant because it 'was ultimately an opportunity to present Iraq in a very different way'. Alona Jazeera, Simona Foltyn, said of Baghdad that while the pope "mostly focused on things' spiritual side, he also alluded to some government issues such as corruption and lack of justice, which are of particular importance to Iraqi minorities such as Christians. "He is very much here to inspire hope and promote peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims."