Pope Francis in Iraq, 5-8 March 2021
Links to speeches, homilies and media reports
Pope Francis in Iraq
For full Vatican coverage see: http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/travels/2021/outside/documents/papa-francesco-iraq-2021.html
——–
02 March 2021, America Staff, America: Pope Francis in Iraq: Everything you need to know about the historic trip, https://www.americamagazine.org/pope-francis-iraq-papal-trip-2021
04 March 2021, Giovanni Sale SJ, La Civiltà Cattolica: “The Christians of Iraq”, https://www.laciviltacattolica.com/the-christians-of-iraq/
04 March 2021, Luma Simms, America: Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq answers the prayers of the Christians who refuse to flee — and face extinction, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/03/04/pope-francis-iraq-visit-christians-refugees-isis-240128
04 March 2021, Francesco Bongarra and Robert Edwards, Arab News: Pope Francis’ visit to give hope and comfort to Iraqis of all faiths, https://www.arabnews.com/node/1819921/middle-east
04 March 2021, Saphora Smith and Claudio Lavanga, NBC News: Pope Francis heads to Iraq hoping landmark trip can ease Muslim-Christian tensions, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/pope-francis-heads-iraq-hoping-landmark-trip-can-ease-muslim-n1259440
05 March 2021, Nicole Winfield & Samya Kullab, Associated Press, America: “Pope Francis arrives in Iraq to rally Christians despite pandemic”, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/03/05/pope-francis-arrival-iraq-240157
05 March 2021, Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter (NCR): Pope Francis arrives in Iraq as ‘penitent pilgrim’ begging for peace”, https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/pope-francis-arrives-iraq-penitent-pilgrim-begging-peace
05 March 2021, Pope Francis, Meeting with Authorities, Civil Society and the Diplomatic Corps: http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2021/march/documents/papa-francesco_20210305_iraq-autorita.html
05 March 2021, Pope Francis, Meeting with Bishops, Priests, Religious, Consecrated Persons, Seminarians, Catechists: http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2021/march/documents/papa-francesco_20210305_iraq-clero.html
05 March 2021, International staff, La Croix: Pope Francis in Iraq, says he is on pilgrimage of peace, https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/pope-francis-in-iraq-says-he-is-on-pilgrimage-of-peace/13909
05 March 2021, Lydia O’Kane, Vatican News: Pope to Iraqi clergy, religious: Violence and hate are incompatible with religion, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-francis-violence-and-hate-are-incompatible-with-religion.html
05 March 2021, Gerard O’Connell, America: “On his first day in Iraq, Pope Francis encouraged its leaders to embrace its religious and ethnic diversity”: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/03/05/pope-francis-iraq-address-political-authorities-240166
05 March, Cindy Wooden – Catholic News Service, America: Pope Francis, “Honor the 48 Iraqi martyrs by remaining faithful and working for a better Iraq”, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/03/05/pope-francis-iraq-martyrs-48-240161
05 March 2021, Nicole Winfield and Samya Kullab, 7 News WWNYTV: Pope urges Iraq to embrace its Christians on historic visit, https://www.wwnytv.com/2021/03/05/amid-pandemic-pope-goes-iraq-rally-fading-christians/
05 March 2021, Sebastian Milbank, The Tablet: Pope meeting with al-Sistani will ‘reverberate around world’, https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/13917/pope-meeting-with-al-sistani-will-reverberate-around-world-
05 March 2021, Cardinal Nichols and Maulana Syed Ali Raza Rizvi, Independent Catholic News (ICAN): “The importance of Pope’s meeting with Ayatollah al-Sistani: https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/41687
06 March 2021, Christopher Lamb, The Tablet, Pope and Ayatollah walk together in footsteps of Abraham, https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/13920/pope-and-ayatollah-walk-together-in-footsteps-of-abraham
06 March 2021, Louisa Loveluck, Washington Post: Pope Francis to hold historic face-to-face meeting with Iraq’s grand ayatollah, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/pope-francis-iraq-sistani-visit/2021/03/05/34e57188-7d27-11eb-8c5e-32e47b42b51b_story.html
06 March 2021, Vatican News, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-francis-meets-grand-ayatollah-al-sistani.html
06 March 2021, Aljazeera: Pope Francis meets Iraq’s Shia leader al-Sistani, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/6/pope-francis-meets-iraqs-shia-leader-al-sistani
06 March 2021, Gerard O’Connell, America: Pope Francis makes history by meeting Ayatollah al-Sistani, spiritual leader of Iraqi Shia Muslims, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/03/06/pope-francis-iraq-visit-shia-ayatollah-sistani-najaf-ur-240169
06 March 2021, Francesco Bongarra, Arab News: Top Shiite cleric Al-Sistani: Christians in Iraq should live in ‘peace, security’, https://arab.news/cmegz
06/03/21 Pope Francis, Interreligious Meeting in Ur, Address of His Holiness and Prayer of the Children of Abraham, http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2021/march/documents/papa-francesco_20210306_iraq-incontro-interreligioso.html
06 March 2021, Devin Watkins, Vatican News: Pope urges Abrahamic religions to pursue path of peace in Iraq, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-francis-iraq-interreligious-meeting-ur-chaldeans.html
06 March 2021, Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter (NCR): Francis tells Iraqi faith leaders: violence in name of religion ‘greatest blasphemy’, https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-tells-iraqi-faith-leaders-violence-name-religion-greatest-blasphemy
06 March 2021, Ricardo da Silva, S.J., America: Interview with Damien Howard S.J., “How Pope Francis is transforming Catholic-Muslim relations”, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2021/03/06/pope-francis-iraq-christian-muslim-shia-sunni-encounter-dialogue-240168
06 March 2021, Pope Francis, Homily of the Holy Father, “Saint Joseph”’s Chaldean Cathedral in Baghdad, http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2021/documents/papa-francesco_20210306_omelia-iraq-baghdad.html
07/03/21, Robin Gomes, Vatican News, Pope at Divine Liturgy in Iraq: World is changed by Beatitudes, not power, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-03/pope-francis-iraq-baghdad-divine-liturgy-homily-beatitudes-love.html
06 March 2021, Pope Francis, Prayer of Suffrage for the Victims of War, Hosh al-Bieaa (Church square) in Mosul, http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/prayers/documents/papa-francesco_preghiere_20210307_preghiera-iraq.html
06 March 2021, Mélinée Le Priol, La Croix: “When you lack for nothing, it’s easy to forget God!” Special interview with Iraqi refugee, who explains how a precarious ordeal has strengthened his Christian faith, https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/when-you-lack-for-nothing-its-easy-to-forget-god/13901?
07 March 2021, Pope Francis, Visit to the Qaraqosh Community, Address of His Holiness, Church of “Immaculate Conception” in Qaraqosh, http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2021/march/documents/papa-francesco_20210307_iraq-comunita-qaraqosh.html
07 March 2021, Pope Francis, Homily, “Franso Hariri” Stadium in Erbil, http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2021/documents/papa-francesco_20210307_omelia-iraq-erbil.html
07 March, Associated Press: Where IS ruled, pope calls on Christians to forgive, rebuild, https://www.wdbj7.com/2021/03/07/pope-visits-iraqs-war-ravaged-north-on-last-day-of-tour/
07 March, New York Times: Amid Mosul’s Ruins, Pope Denounces Religious Fanaticism, https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/07/world/pope-francis-iraq-visit
08 March 20121, Jalal Moughania, ABC Religion and Ethics Report: The Pope, the Ayatollah, and the future of the Middle East, https://www.abc.net.au/religion/the-pope-the-ayatollah-and-the-future-of-the-middle-east/13227300