Pope Begins ‘Historic Visit’ To Iraq
The Prime Minister of Iraq, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi was at the country’s airport on Friday to receive the leader of the Catholic Church worldwide who had earlier scheduled a 3-day apostolic visit termed “historic”.
The Government of Iraq tweeted the moment the pope was being accompanied by the prime minister as both walked on red carpet.
Advertisement
“@MAKadhimi welcomes His Holiness @Pontifex to Baghdad as he begins a historic visit to Iraq,” it tweeted.
Earlier, Al-Kadhimi reminded the cleric that the country was the ancient “land of Sumer, Babylon, Assyria, the land of Prophets and civilisations.
“We, the Iraqi people and government, look forward to welcoming His Holiness Pope Francis. Mesopotamia has always been and will remain a historic meeting place for common human values,” he said.
Advertisement
On his part, Pope said he believes that peace will reign in the country.
“I come as a penitent who asks forgiveness to Heaven and to the brothers for so many destructions and cruelty; as a pilgrim of peace, in the name of Christ, Prince of Peace. How much we have prayed for peace in #Irak ! God always listens. It is up to us to walk its paths,” he tweeted on Friday.
THE WHISTLER reported that the Pope stated, among other things, that he would be giving motivation to Christians who are practicing their faith under harsh circumstance in the country.
