Pope Francis makes first-ever visit to Iraq
Iraqis including Christians and Muslims wait for the arrival of Pope Francis to
perform a prayer for the victims of the war at Hosh al-Bieaa Church Square in Mosul, Iraq. Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Pope Francis speaks at Hosh al-Bieaa Church Square in Mosul. Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Iraqi security forces take up positions as Pope Francis prays for the victims of the war in Mosul. Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Iraqis including Christians and Muslims wait for the arrival of Pope Francis to perform a prayer in Mosul. Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Francis celebrates mass at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Baghdad on Saturday. Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Pope Francis celebrates mass at Saint Joseph Cathedral. Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Pope Francis celebrates mass at Saint Joseph Cathedral. Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Pope Francis (C) greets delegates during an interreligious meeting at the ruins of Ur near Nasiriyah, Iraq.
Ur is the birthplace of the prophet Abraham. Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Francis leaves after his meeting with Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Photo courtesy of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani office
Pope Francis (R) meets with Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in Najaf, Iraq on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani office
"From this place, where faith was born, from the land of our father Abraham, let us affirm that God is merciful and that the greatest blasphemy is to profane his name by hating our brothers and sisters," Francis said during the meeting in Ur. "Hostility, extremism and violence are not born of a religious heart: they are betrayals of religion." Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Pope Francis (L) told attendees at the meeting, "The blessed place brings us back to our origins, to the sources of God's work, to the birth of our religions." Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
An image of Francis is displayed on a screen before the start of an interreligious meeting at the ruins of Ur. Photo by Murtaja Lateef/UPI
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi (R) receives Francis upon his arrival in the capital Baghdad on Friday. Photo courtesy of Press Office of Iraqi Prime Minister
Francis arrives at Baghdad International Airport, where a welcoming ceremony was held to start his historic tour. Photo by Humam Mohamed/UPI
Kadhemi (R) welcomes Pope Francis upon his arrival at Baghdad Airport. Photo courtesy of Office of the Iraqi President
A welcoming ceremony was held for the pope at the airport to start his historic tour in Iraq. Photo by Humam Mohamed/UPI
Francis said he felt compelled to make the risky visit because the people of Iraq "have suffered so much." Photo courtesy of Office of the Iraqi President
Iraqi President Barham Saleh (R) greets Francis at Baghdad's presidential palace. Photo by Humam Mohamed/UPI
"Only if we learn to look beyond our differences and see each other as members of the same human family will we be able to begin a process of rebuilding and leave future generations a better, more just and humane world," Francis said in his welcoming address at the palace. Photo by Humam Mohamed/UPI
