MITTELOST
Terminplan für den Besuch von Papst Franziskus im Irak
March 5, 2021 - March 8, 2021 -
Papst Franziskus wird für vier Tage den Irak besuchen, es ist das erste Mal dass ein Papst dieses Land besucht. Außerdem ist es sein erster Auslandsbesuch seit Ausbruch der weltweiten Coronavirus Pandemie.
The 84-year-old pontiff, who has been vaccinated against Covid-19, intends to go ahead with the March 5-8 visit despite the pandemic and lingering security concerns, AP said.
Francis’ main reason for the trip to Iraq is to encourage the country’s Christians, who faced decades of discrimination by Iraq’s Muslims before being persecuted by the so-called Islamic State (IS) group starting in 2014.
The slow return of displaced Christians to northern Iraq since the territory was liberated from IS in 2017 remains a contentious issue. Few Christian families have returned but the Vatican has been encouraging those who fled to come back and ensure a continued Christian presence in the area that dates from the time of Christ.