Vatican City, Jan 25, 2020 / 09:00 am
Pope Francis met Saturday with Iraqi President Barham Salih, and discussed the need to secure the future of Iraq's deep-rooted Christian population.
The president and the pontiff spoke privately for about 30 minutes before Sahil met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.
A Vatican statement Jan. 25 said the talks focused on "the challenges the country currently faces and the importance of promoting stability and the reconstruction process."
"Attention then turned to the importance of preserving the historical presence of Christians in the country, of which they are an integral part, and the significant contribution they bring to the reconstruction of the social fabric," the Holy See said.