杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff writer

The Vatican Press Office announced on Monday that 杏MAP导航 Francis has accepted the invitation of the Iraqi government and the local Catholic Church and will make an Apostolic Journey to the Middle Eastern country from 5 to 8 March 2021.  

Stability

For the Church in Iraq, for Iraqi Christians and for the whole country, including Muslims, this 鈥渞epresents a source of great and immense joy,鈥� Bishop Yaldo, the local coordinator of the papal visit told AsiaNews.  He said the people 鈥渉ave been waiting for many years, since the time of 杏MAP导航 John Paul II, in 2000, with the first reports of a journey that was not possible then.鈥�  鈥淎lready in 2019, there was talk of this trip but the situation was not stable,鈥� but now the conditions have improved despite the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,鈥� noted the bishop.  

Bishop Yaldo, who is one of the two Auxiliary Bishops of Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, will oversee the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 4-day visit that will cover 4 Iraqi provinces.  The Vatican said the 杏MAP导航 will visit Baghdad, the plain of Ur, linked to the memory of Abraham, the city of Erbil, as well as Mosul and Qaraqosh in the plain of Nineveh.

鈥淭he 杏MAP导航's visit,鈥� Bishop Yaldo explained, 鈥渃omes as the confirmation of the country鈥檚 greater stability.鈥�   This is happening 鈥渁lso thanks to the work of the current Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, and President Barham Salih, the key to overcoming the many difficult situations of the past.鈥� The bishop also pointed to the great regard the president has for the pontiff, whom he has met twice.

Significant for Christians and Muslims

鈥淭he 杏MAP导航's visit is a dream for us,鈥� the bishop said, adding the announcement of the March visit 鈥済ives courage to all Iraqi people, not just Christians; it is a show of strong solidarity, peace and fraternity for the whole nation.鈥�  Muslims perhaps 鈥渁re possibly happier than us. The whole nation is happy,鈥� he said.

Even though details of the visit have not been decided, the bishop said that 杏MAP导航 Francis wishes to go 鈥渢o Mosul, a stronghold of the Islamic State for a long time, where the worst crimes of jihadist madness were committed.鈥�  鈥淭he 杏MAP导航 wants to go to Mosul and pray for the victims of the Islamic State鈥� and the violence that took place in the city.

Catholics, Bishop Yaldo said, are 鈥渁 small flock, but of great relevance.鈥�  鈥淭his Christmas will be special as we wait for the visit.鈥�  In the meantime, 鈥渨e must do our best to ensure that it has the historical, cultural and religious importance it deserves.鈥�  鈥淭his visit,鈥� he said, 鈥渨ill give an enormous boost to the country鈥檚 future and will guarantee great visibility to Christians. The 杏MAP导航 will give great significance and relevance to their presence and their suffering.鈥�

Abrahamic religions 

According to the bishop, the stop at Ur of the Chaldeans, regarded as the birthplace of Abraham, will be the high point of the visit because Christians, Muslims and Jews regard him as a prophet.  Abraham 鈥渞epresents the sign of unity for all of us who inhabit this land, for us who are in Iraq鈥�.  鈥淪eeing Abraham鈥檚 house will be a great symbol of unity for all religions that have this element in common,鈥� Bishop Yaldo said.  (Source: AsiaNews)