PUK Co-Leader: The Pope’s visit is of great importance in supporting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region

P.U.K 09:35 PM - 2021-03-05

.

Along with the President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the Council of Representatives, and several leaders of the political parties, the PUK's Co-Leader, Lahur Sheikh Jangi has warmly welcomed on Friday the Vatican's Pope Francis. 

 

Sheikh Jangi said during a statement that "the Pope’s visit is a great challenge to the current sensitive situation and of significant historic meaning and importance in supporting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region internationally and is a key element in delivering the message of peace and closeness among all the religions."

 

"I hope that the visit, prayers, and prayers of Pope Francis will lead to more stability and strengthening of social unity, religious coexistence, and the acceptance of one another between the different nations and structures in the country," he added.

 

Pope Francis has arrived in Baghdad on Friday in the first papal visit to Iraq after a flight that took about 5 hours from the Italian capital, Rome.

 

This is the first papal visit to Iraq and comes at a time when only a few hundred thousand Christians are left in the country. Following the US-led invasion of 2003, sectarian warfare prompted followers of Iraq’s multiple Christian denominations to flee and attacks by ISIS in 2014 further hit all minority communities. According to data from Erbil’s Chaldean Archbishop Warda, there were more than one million Christians in Iraq before 2003. Fewer than 300,000 remain today.

 

The agenda of the visit 

 

The Pope's visit includes meeting with priests and religious figures in Baghdad. On Saturday, 6 March, Pope Francis will depart Baghdad for Najaf. Following a courtesy visit to the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Al-Husaymi Al-Sistani in Najaf, Pope Francis will fly to Nassirya for an interreligious meeting at the Plain of Ur.

 

On his return to Baghdad in the afternoon, the Pope will celebrate Holy Mass at the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Baghdad.

 

On Sunday morning, Pope Francis will depart for Erbil. On arrival at the airport, he will be welcomed by religious and civil authorities from the region of Iraqi Kurdistan before continuing his journey by helicopter to Mosul. While there, he will recite a prayer of sufferage for the victims of war at Hosh al-Bieaa (Church Square).

 

The Pope will again take a helicopter to Qaraqosh where he will visit the Qaraqosh community at the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

 

In the afternoon, Pope Francis will return to Erbil where he will celebrate Holy Mass at the “Franso Hariri” stadium. Following the celebration, the Pope will depart for Baghdad.

 

Departure

 

After a farewell ceremony on Monday morning, Pope Francis will depart for Rome. He is expected to touch down at Rome’s Ciampino airport later in the day.

 

 

 

PUKmedia