Vatican City, Feb 28, 2022 / 07:20 am
In a meeting with Iraqi Christian leaders at the Vatican on Monday, Pope Francis recalled his historic trip to Iraq made a year ago this March.
The pope said that his trip to Iraq on March 5-8, 2021, was an “unforgettable visit” and emphasized the importance of the Christian presence in the Middle Eastern country.
“I wish to say with you once again that it is not possible to imagine Iraq without Christians. This conviction is based not only on a religious foundation, but on social and cultural evidence,” he said on Feb. 28.
Francis became the first pope to visit Iraq when he embarked on his journey to encourage the country’s embattled Christian minority and foster interreligious fraternity.