https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49dKXlAVSaU

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Pope Francis landed in Iraq on Friday for a historic tour of the war-ravaged nation, where he is meeting with members of the country's dwindling Christian community, aiming to draw attention to their plight.

The trip, which marks the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, also includes meetings with the country's top political and religious officials. It is the pontiff's first trip outside of Italy since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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"I am happy to start trips again and this is a symbolic trip. It's a duty," the Pope told journalists traveling with him on the papal plane. "It has been a martyred land for too long."

On Friday, the pontiff held meetings with Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and President Barham Salih. Rows of traditional dancers, none of whom wore masks, greeted the Pope as he arrived at Baghdad International Airport.

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Pope Francis and his entourage have all been vaccinated against Covid-19.

He later met with clerics and other officials at a Baghdad church that was the site of a bloody 2010 massacre. A crowded of excited congregants greeted Francis in the churchyard, singing "the Pope is here, the Pope is here."

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The Pope sat on a throne under a towering collage of the parish members who died in the terrorist attack. "We are gathered in this Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation, hallowed by the blood of our brothers and sisters who here paid the ultimate price of their fidelity to the Lord and his Church," the pontiff said.

The Pope said he has come to Iraq as a "pilgrim."

"I come as a penitent, asking forgiveness of heaven and my brothers and sisters for so much destruction and cruelty," said the pontiff during a speech on Friday. "I come as a pilgrim of peace in the name of Christ, the Prince of Peace. How much we have prayed in these years for peace in Iraq."

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Francis was widely expected to cancel the visit after a surge in coronavirus cases gripped Iraq in recent weeks, and a spate of new rocket attacks deepened security fears. But the Pope insisted that the visit go on as scheduled, referring to Iraq's ancient Christian community as "that martyred Church."

For some time I have wanted to meet that people who suffered so much, Francis said on Wednesday. "The people of Iraq are waiting for us. They were waiting for St. Pope John Paul II, who was not allowed to go," he added, referring to a planned trip in 2000 which was canceled after a breakdown in talks between the Vatican and then President Saddam Hussein.

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"The people cannot be let down for a second time. Let us pray that this trip can be carried out well."

Iraqi officials have hailed the visit as an important moment for the country, while privately admitting that the timing of the trip has proved a challenge for authorities.

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One of the key parts of the Pope's itinerary is a Saturday visit to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a widely revered Shia cleric. Sistani will receive the pontiff at his residence in the holy city of Najaf, to the south of Baghdad.

The papal meeting with the 90-year old Sistani -- who is rarely seen in public -- can be seen as one of the most significant summits between a pope and a leading Shia Muslim figure.



Francis has met with leading Sunni cleric Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb on several occasions, famously co-signing a 2019 document pledging "human fraternity" between world religions.

The meeting with Sistani is expected by some to serve as the Shia Muslim component of the pontiff's efforts to bolster interfaith relations.

Tens of thousands of Iraqis staged months-long street demonstrations, some of which were violently quashed, in the months before the coronavirus pandemic began to spread here.

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"The country needs services, security and peace," said 50-year-old Mohammed Jassem. "[The Pope] can't give us these things but we ask him to call on the leadership and the parties for these things."

"We call on him to unify its ethnicity ... the country requires unity and we hope he can bring us this," he added.

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Iraqi authorities have been busy preparing for the papal visit, cleaning streets and re-paving others where the Vatican delegation is scheduled to go. New street lamps light the roads and many previously broken traffic lights are back in commission.

The irony is not lost on Iraqis. "The streets of Baghdad have become a lot better within a week," said 41-year-old shopkeeper Ahmad al-Assadi. "I wish he would stay for a month and tour all of Iraq ... maybe then they can fix the entire country."

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/05/middleeast/iraq-pope-francis-visit-arrival-baghdad-intl/index.html

I wish him all the best

suicide bombers will be like " this man get mind oh"

Thank you sir

Friday Reflection: The Pope Visit to Iraq...

The Bishop of Rome #Pope made a historic visit to Iraq today. Iraq is a land full of history and ancient civilization. The Father of Monotheism, Prophet Abraham (as), was born in the ancient Iraqi town of Ur in 1,900 BC.

Iraq recorded the first Christian community in the world. The Eastern Church was born in Iraq. The ancient Churches in Mosul are older than Islam.

Before the US-led invasion of Iraq there were more than 1.5 million Iraqis who are Christians. They are the descendants of the ancient Churches. Sadly, but now there are less than half a million Christians in Iraq. The Genocidal US regime brought ISIS and murderous Wahhabi terrorist groups to Iraq that pose existential threats to Iraqi Christians. Without the Righteous Resistance of Shia-led forces in Iraq under the leadership of General Qassem Sulaimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhadis there will today not be a single Christian in Iraq. The US regime under Trump cowardly assasinated these two famous Commanders who protected Iraqi Christians from the bloodthirsty Wahhabi savages.

And if I may ask where was Pope when all these things that were enabled by the arrogant West were happening? Where was the voice of the Pope when Christians of Iraq and Syria were targeted for elimination and extinction by the Saudi-backed Al-Qaeda and ISIS barbarians? Where was the Pope when the nuns of the ancient Syrian Christian town of Maaloula were kidnapped and raped by Western-backed Wahhabi Terrorists? The language spoken by Jesus (as) is still spoken in Maaloula till date.

Having said all these it is important to note that Christianity is the closest Religion to Islam as only these two Monotheist Religions accepted and celebrated the miraculous Birth of Jesus (as) and the chastity of his Blessed Mother, Mary (as). The meetings of Pope and Iraqi Islamic Scholars led by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani (H) should be geared towards strengthening the historic ties between Muslims and Christians.

As an after thought, Muslims should disregard the fake, fraudulent and fabricated narrative by Wahhabis that Christians are enemies of Muslims. The first leader that saved Muslims from the extreme persecution of the Qureish was the Just Ethiopian king who was a Christian. He respected Islam and protected Muslims. The overwhelming majority of Muslims are against the Christian Genocide agenda of murderous Wahhabi Terrorism that is sponsored by the Saudi Wahhabi regime.

On a final note, we call on the Bishop of Rome who is the undisputed leader of the Roman Catholic Church to stop enabling the heinous crimes and atrocities of the Genocidal imperialist barbarians of the West. Christianity is not Western imperialism and Western imperialism is not Christianity.

#Photo: Banner in Iraq of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and the Pope

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

We are one.

politics divides us. tribe divides us. religion divide us.


one love

Nice

That is Catholicism for you unlike the so called business enterprises
group called New generation churches.

Pope when he sleeps in Iraq

Nice

Issorite

Good news

Enoch07:
suicide bombers will be like " this man get mind oh"

Pass me the lighter !!!.

.

RIP Pope John Paul.
Papacy should not be pro-homosexuality.

True PEACE a religion brings

I thought Iran is an Islamic republic.
This one they granted him Visa

Preaching peace and love

Ipobian fake Jew Trump supporting miscreants won't like this

To them Muslims and Christian must fight



.

A trip against all odds.

ISIS said they'd go to Rome but Rome decided to go to ISIS... despite the pandemic.

Nice one.

Lamb of GOD, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.

thiS is Haram mehn!!

The world would have been a peaceful place if there was no US.

Wakanda

His holiness

Neddstark:
RIP Pope John Paul.
Papacy should not be pro-homosexuality.

I AGREE WITH YOU

Eku ishe oluwa




If you want to learn web design see my signature....aluta continua

athaboi:
His holiness