Pope Francis’s visit to Iraq is historic for many reasons, not least of which is Saturday’s meeting with the chief figure in Shia Islam, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
Pope Francis
U.S. Chaldean Catholics Hope Pope Francis’ Iraq Trip Brings Peace, Reconciliation
The 1,200 Chaldean Catholic families who live in Arizona are thousands of miles from the land of their birth. On March 5, their hearts will turn toward their native Iraq.
Pope Francis Says He Cannot Disappoint Iraqis, Asks Prayers for Trip
On the same day that 10 rockets hit an air base in Iraq, Pope Francis said he had to travel to the country because he could not disappoint them.
Iraqis Hope Papal Visit Can Help Unify Country’s Diverse Communities
When it seemed there was nothing “unprecedented” left for Pope Francis to accomplish, on March 5 he will embark in another historic first: A papal visit to Iraq, the birthplace of the biblical figure of Abraham.
Days Before Trip, Pope’s Envoy in Iraq Tests Positive for COVID
Slovenian Archbishop Mitja Leskovar, the papal ambassador in Iraq, who was supposed to accompany Pope Francis during his March 5-8 visit to the land of the two rivers, tested positive for COVID-19 on Feb. 27 and is now in isolation
Pope Extends Outreach to Women With Halo, Home Visit
Days after Pope Francis appointed two women to major Vatican posts, he continued his female outreach by announcing the beatification of an Italian suffragette and by visiting an elderly Holocaust survivor.
Cardinals Sarah, Comastri Retire From Vatican Posts
Pope Francis accepted the resignations of 75-year-old Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, and 77-year-old Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and vicar for Vatican City State.
After Perceived Rift, Pope Joins Gomez in Addressing L.A. Congress
In a video message sent to the annual Religious Education Congress in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Pope Francis argued that the “commitment, strength and dedication” of all is needed to build a better tomorrow after a global pandemic that has impacted the lives of all people.
Iraqi Official Says Top Shi’a Cleric Won’t Sign Fraternity Doc With Pope Francis
Despite widespread speculation that Pope Francis and top Shi’a cleric Grand Ayatollah Al-Sistani will sign a document on human fraternity during their meeting in Iraq next month, an Iraqi state official has said the rumors are false.
Iraq: Full of Historic Sites Important to Understanding Christianity
Pope Francis hopes to embark on the first-ever papal visit to the biblical land of Iraq in early March in a spiritual pilgrimage of sorts to the place known in Arabic as the “land of the two rivers” — the mighty Tigris and Euphrates — and once renowned as Mesopotamia, the “cradle of civilization.”