01:15Pope Francis met with Iraq's top Shi'ite Muslim cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, on Saturday, during the second day of his historic four-day trip to Iraq.
The pontiff can be seen entering the residence of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani and sitting down with the cleric, who is regarded as the spiritual leader of Iraq's Shi'a muslims.
The Pope's historic visit to Iraq 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).
Iraq: Pope Francis meets with Ayatollah al-Sistani during historic Iraq visit
Pope Francis met with Iraq's top Shi'ite Muslim cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, on Saturday, during the second day of his historic four-day trip to Iraq.
The pontiff can be seen entering the residence of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani and sitting down with the cleric, who is regarded as the spiritual leader of Iraq's Shi'a muslims.
The Pope's historic visit to Iraq 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 met with Iraq's top Shi'ite Muslim cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, on Saturday, during the second day of his historic four-day trip to Iraq.
The pontiff can be seen entering the residence of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani and sitting down with the cleric, who is regarded as the spiritual leader of Iraq's Shi'a muslims.
The Pope's historic visit to Iraq 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).