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And before the papal visit became reality and reality, as it begins today and lasts four days, many expected that the Pope would cancel his trip, and others considered it a risk, with the outbreak of the epidemic, and after the suicide bombings. with bombs in Tayaran Square in central Baghdad last January, and deaths during protest demonstrations in Dhi Qar province a few days ago. In addition, it was announced that the papal ambassador to Iraq, Mitja Lescovar, was infected with the Corona virus, and is one of the central figures in the preparation of the visit at the diplomatic and logistical level.
All this did not push the Vatican to delay, as it appears that Pope Francis insisted on going to Baghdad, and from there, for the following days, to Najaf, the Plain of Ur, Arbil, Qaraqosh and Mosul.
What are the reasons for this insistence? And what makes this particular trip “historic”?
The answer does not need explanations and analysis close to the Vatican, but came directly from His Holiness through a message he addressed to the Iraqi people on the eve of the visit, when he said: “I will meet you with a pilgrim who longs for peace to repeat: “You are all brothers.” Yes, I meet you with a pilgrim who longs for peace, and I seek Behind the brothers, and driven by the desire to pray and walk together, and with brothers and sisters from other religious traditions as well, under the banner of our father Abraham, who unites Muslims, Jews and Christians into one family.
And he added: “I would like to bring you the tender embrace of the whole Church, the Church close to you and the suffering Middle East, and encourage you to move on. Do not allow the terrible suffering that you have lived and that hurts so much to succeed. surrender to the spread of evil, because the sources Millennial wisdom in your land leads us to take another path, to follow the example of Abraham who, abandoning everything, never lost Rather, he put his trust in God and became the father of an offspring equivalent to the number of stars in the sky.
Regarding the visit, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi said it would contribute to “consolidating stability and spreading the spirit of brotherhood in Iraq and throughout the region.” He added that the Pope’s efforts “are recognized throughout the world to reduce conflicts, prioritize wisdom and reason and raise the value of the human being, especially political interests, conflicts and wars.”
The Shiite leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, had stated that “the Pope is welcome in the hearts rather than in the minds,” adding: “I received that there are some opponents of the Pope’s visit, and I say that the openness to religions It is desirable”.
In what is similar to the historic meeting between Pope Francis and the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Pope will meet the Shiite referent Ali al-Sistani at his home in Najaf, which is a meeting Unique among the Pope, considered the spiritual father of Catholic Christians, and Sistani, the outstanding spiritual leader of Iraq’s Shiites, and one of the most popular referents of Shiite religious influence in the world.
It is likely that during this meeting there will be the signing of a document by “the brotherhood of humanity” between the two referents that “allow the consolidation of relationships of mutual trust between all the components.”
According to the information distributed, the two sides will discuss forms of interreligious dialogue, issues of limiting extremism, rejecting hatred, spreading the values of peace and supporting the residents of the liberated areas, especially the residents of the Nineveh Plains, Mosul and neighboring cities. ”
Iraqi church sources said that the Pope’s program will include, in addition to the Najaf station and the meeting with Sistani, a visit to the “house of the prophet Ibrahim” in the governorate of Dhi Qar, which represents a symbol of rapprochement between the three abrahamics. religions, and will hold prayers in the Nineveh Plain areas at a church that was controlled by ISIS. He will also celebrate a large mass in one of the stadiums in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
It is estimated that the historic visit of the Pope to Iraq will have positive repercussions for the troubled countries of the region, and that Lebanon will share these positive repercussions, especially in the field of activating dialogue between the Lebanese components.
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