In Baghdad, Pope Francis celebrates first papal mass in Iraqi history
Pope Francis held mass at Saint Joseph's Chaldean Cathedral in Baghdad on March 6, 2021. REUTERS - AHMED JADALLAH
Text by: RFI Follow
6 mins
The Pope continues his trip to Iraq.
After his unprecedented meeting with the Shiite Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the head of the Catholic Church led an ecumenical prayer in the city of Ur. Then he celebrated this Saturday March 6 a mass in Baghdad.
Francis called for unity and peace between peoples.
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It all started for these faithful with a long, silent wait under the setting sun of Baghdad.
Then, what most of them only imagined in their wildest dreams happened: Pope Francis appeared.
In front of Saint Joseph's Church in the Iraqi capital, the few Christians who have obtained a ticket to attend the first papal mass in Iraq's history abruptly break their silence.
On the arrival of the 84-year-old sovereign pontiff, a cloud of ululations rose as well as hundreds of hands turned towards the sky.
In the midst of bouquets, missals in Arabic and rosaries clutched between trembling fingers, Francis greets women, some of them covered with black or white veils.
The young people - few in the assembly - immediately unsheathed their cell phones, lowering their masks to take a picture of themselves with the Pope in the background.
Childish voices from a choir welcoming the Sovereign Pontiff are heard.
After this welcome, a small part of the people gathered entered the church, entirely surrounded by imposing concrete blocks, to take their places on wooden benches.
Others remain outside on wooden benches installed on the square in front of giant screens which broadcast the Mass live.
In his homily, Pope Francis evokes love, the power to bear witness and the strength that must be maintained in the face of
persecution
calling for unity and peace among peoples.
► See also: Iraq: historic meeting between Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani
Does the Pope have the capacity to make a difference?
The Pope would like, for example, that the Christians of Iraq would no longer be second-rate subjects, but that there would be total equality and that no one would be persecuted, neither Christians nor Yazidis, etc.
Odon Vallet, historian of religions
The message of the visit to Mosul
During his trip to Iraq, the Pope will stop on Sunday in Mosul, the large city in the north of the country, for a time of prayer.
Brother Olivier, of the Dominican order, is one of the few Christians in Mosul who work among other things on the reconstruction of the convent of Our Lady of the Hour.
He expresses at the microphone of RFI the meaning of the Pope's visit to Mosul.
Brother Olivier of the Dominican Order
►
Also to listen: Myriam Benraad: "The fate of Christians is also the fate of many civilians in Iraq"
(with AFP)
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Iraq
Pope Francis
Religion
Vatican
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Iraq: historic meeting between Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani
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