Pope Francis was greeted at Baghdad's International Airport with traditional celebrations including music, dancing and swords, on Friday, as he and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi left the airport.
The pontiff went on to meet with Iraqi President Barham Salih at the Presidential palace, on the first of his historic four-day visit to Iraq.
The visit comes as part of an initiative to preserve Iraq's ancient Christian communities and support the return of those Christians driven out by the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
Pope Francis was greeted at Baghdad's International Airport with traditional celebrations including music, dancing and swords, on Friday, as he and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi left the airport.
The pontiff went on to meet with Iraqi President Barham Salih at the Presidential palace, on the first of his historic four-day visit to Iraq.
The visit comes as part of an initiative to preserve Iraq's ancient Christian communities and support the return of those Christians driven out by the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
Pope Francis was greeted at Baghdad's International Airport with traditional celebrations including music, dancing and swords, on Friday, as he and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi left the airport.
The pontiff went on to meet with Iraqi President Barham Salih at the Presidential palace, on the first of his historic four-day visit to Iraq.
The visit comes as part of an initiative to preserve Iraq's ancient Christian communities and support the return of those Christians driven out by the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).