Returning to Iraq, a year after covering Pope Francis's trip, John Cookson asks why the Biden administration is cutting aid to the country's Christians
A year ago Pope Francis made an historic pilgrimage to Iraq. Journalist John Cookson covered the visit for the Catholic Herald and now he's returned to discover if the papal visit has changed the lives of the country's beleaguered Christians. This is the first of two reports.
“Through prayer, education, and public action during Religious Freedom Week, the USCCB hopes to promote the essential right of religious freedom for Catholics and for those of all faiths.”
Pope Francis expresses his spiritual closeness and offers prayers for victims of tragedies in Iraq; the Mediterranean; and the the Caribbean island nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
He said that by visiting Iraq, he had fulfilled a dream of his predecessor Pope John Paul II, who had hoped to mark the turn of the millennium with a journey “in the footsteps of Abraham,” but was unable to travel to the ancient city of Ur.
During an in-flight press conference on the flight back to Rome March 8, the pope was asked if the meeting with al-Sistani was a message to the religious leaders of Iran.
"It's indescribable," said one worshipper, 53-year-old Martin Scekes, who survived the bombing and decided to stay. Mr. Scekes told the Catholic Herald: "The Pope coming to see us will lift our hearts."
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