٠٠:٠٤:٢٢Pope Francis said he's visiting Iraq as a 'pilgrim of peace' and urged violence to stop in the war-torn country, speaking at the presidential palace in Baghdad on Friday at the beginning of his historic four-day Iraqi tour.
"No more violence, extremism, factions, intolerance. Let there be room for all citizens who want to build this country together, in dialogue, in frank and sincere, constructive confrontation," the pontiff said, adding that he had prayed a lot for peace in Iraq in recent years.
Speaking before the Pope, Iraqi President Barham Salih addressed the pontiff saying, "During our previous meetings in the Vatican, I felt how deeply Your Holiness cares about this country. I sensed the attention that you paid to, and the profound pain that you felt at the tragedies that Iraqis have lived through and the suffering they have experienced as a result of war, violence and external interference."
The Pope’s 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 ISIS. The tour is the first papal trip abroad in 15 months.
Iraq: 'I come as a pilgrim of peace' - Pope gives speech in Baghdad
Pope Francis said he's visiting Iraq as a 'pilgrim of peace' and urged violence to stop in the war-torn country, speaking at the presidential palace in Baghdad on Friday at the beginning of his historic four-day Iraqi tour.
"No more violence, extremism, factions, intolerance. Let there be room for all citizens who want to build this country together, in dialogue, in frank and sincere, constructive confrontation," the pontiff said, adding that he had prayed a lot for peace in Iraq in recent years.
Speaking before the Pope, Iraqi President Barham Salih addressed the pontiff saying, "During our previous meetings in the Vatican, I felt how deeply Your Holiness cares about this country. I sensed the attention that you paid to, and the profound pain that you felt at the tragedies that Iraqis have lived through and the suffering they have experienced as a result of war, violence and external interference."
The Pope’s 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 ISIS. The tour is the first papal trip abroad in 15 months.
Pope Francis said he's visiting Iraq as a 'pilgrim of peace' and urged violence to stop in the war-torn country, speaking at the presidential palace in Baghdad on Friday at the beginning of his historic four-day Iraqi tour.
"No more violence, extremism, factions, intolerance. Let there be room for all citizens who want to build this country together, in dialogue, in frank and sincere, constructive confrontation," the pontiff said, adding that he had prayed a lot for peace in Iraq in recent years.
Speaking before the Pope, Iraqi President Barham Salih addressed the pontiff saying, "During our previous meetings in the Vatican, I felt how deeply Your Holiness cares about this country. I sensed the attention that you paid to, and the profound pain that you felt at the tragedies that Iraqis have lived through and the suffering they have experienced as a result of war, violence and external interference."
The Pope’s 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 ISIS. The tour is the first papal trip abroad in 15 months.