CV NEWS FEED // In March 2021, Pope Francis became the first pontiff to set foot in Iraq. His four-day apostolic visit, which brought healing, hope, and dialogue to the land scarred by war and religious persecution, was not only historic but was deeply transformative for the people of Iraq, especially its Christian minority and its youth.
Iraq’s recent history had been defined by conflict: the U.S. military intervention, sectarian strife, and the brutal occupation of ISIS, which decimated ancient Christian communities. Against this backdrop, the Pope’s presence was a bold gesture of solidarity. He came “as a pilgrim of peace,” determined to encourage reconciliation and to revive the hope of Iraqis of all faiths.
His itinerary included Baghdad, Najaf, Ur, Mosul, Qaraqosh, and Erbi, each chosen for its spiritual, cultural, or historical symbolism.
One of the most consequential moments of the visit occurred behind closed doors in the holy city of Najaf. There, on March 6, Pope Francis met Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Al-Husayni Al-Sistani, who is sometimes called the “pope” of Shia Muslims. Their private 45-minute meeting was a landmark in the history of Christian-Muslim relations, a survey and report by the European Institute for Studies on the Middle East and North Africa (EISMENA) states.
After the meeting, Al-Sistani affirmed the right of all people to live in peace and dignity and urged world leaders to prioritize wisdom and reason. According to EISMENA, Sistani is considered politically moderate because he supports democracy in Iraq and believes in a separation between religion and politics.
Iraq’s then prime minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, later declared that every year, March 6 will be celebrated as Iraq’s National Day of Coexistence and Tolerance.
Perhaps no moment captured the historic spirit of Pope Francis’ visit more than the Mass he celebrated at Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil. Held in the Kurdish region — which had served as a haven for Christians fleeing ISIS — the Mass drew thousands. It was the largest public event of the trip and a triumphant display of Christian resilience.
In his homily, the Pope urged the faithful to not rely on human wisdom, but on Christ’s divine wisdom and healing, the healing brought about through His crucifixion.
“Here in Iraq, how many of your brothers and sisters, friends and fellow citizens bear the wounds of war and violence, wounds both visible and invisible!” the Pope said. “The temptation is to react to these and other painful experiences with human power, human wisdom. Instead, Jesus shows us the way of God, the path that he took, the path on which he calls us to follow him.”
Pope Francis noted that Christ offers a path of forgiveness and leads man away from the temptation to seek revenge.
The papal visit to Iraq had a profound impact on young Christians in the country, according to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA). In 2024, the outlet interviewed some of the youth present during his visit.
“I cannot forget his words during the liturgy, when he said that Iraq will be in his heart,” said Raaed Asaad, a student at the Catholic University in Erbil (C.U.E.). “He said that, and he left that in our heart.”
Dr. Daniella Hanna, a junior resident at the Catholic Maryamana Hospital, said it was a historic visit for many Iraqi Christians.
“He also delivered a message, not only for us as Christians, but also for the Middle East, that Iraq is a multicultural country with multiple religions,” she said, later adding that the message was one “of peace to all, to all religions and nations living in Iraq.”
At the ancient site of Ur, the birthplace of Abraham, Pope Francis led an interreligious prayer service with Christian, Muslim, and Yazidi leaders, EISMENA states, adding that the meeting indicated the Pope’s vision of Ur as a holy place for all three religions. The Pope encouraged peace and unity between the different religions.
“Violence, extremism, and hostility do not spring from a religious spirit,” Pope Francis said. “Instead, they are all betrayals of religion.”
The EISMENA survey suggests that Iraqis overall thought the visit had a positive impact on Iraq. They thought that the visit was motivated by a desire for peace, and that the Pope’s support for democracy would have a positive impact on the political situation.
“Finally, regarding the social and national dimension,” the study concluded, “Iraqis see that this visit will reinforce social cohesion among the Iraqi people’s components and reinforce the culture of acceptance of others.”
The first papal visit to Iraq marked several historical landmarks: his meeting with al-Sistani indicated cooperation between Muslims and Christians, his visit to Ur urged peace between the religious denominations, and his Mass at the Franso Hariri stadium — the first open Mass a Pope has presided over in a Muslim country in the Middle East — offered unprecedented hope to Christians in the region.
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