Sound and thorough preparations

Louis Raphael Sako, Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, also a guest speaker of the International Eucharistic Congress was more than delighted by the announcement of Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq, calling it as the sign of fresh hope to “the long-suffering Christian community of the Middle-East.”
In an interview with the Vatican Radio, the Head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, historically known as one of the main Christian communities of the Middle-East, characterised the Pope’s decision as a “really a courageous gesture, especially in these hard, challenging times.” “The papal trip ‘will be like a new Christmas’ for the local Christians, and is going to be a pilgrimage under the banner of human fraternity. The Apostolic visit is eagerly awaited by our people, who are more than thirsty for the Holy Father’s words. Moreover, Pope Francis is honoured by the Muslims as well.” – emphasized Patriarch Sako.
The Head of the Chaldean Catholics first issued the prayer on January 14, amid an uncertain situation on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chaldean Catholic Church is one of the 23 autonomous Eastern Catholic Churches that has remained in full communion with Rome and has ever been one of the main Christian denominations in Iraq, alongside the Syrian, Armenian, Assyrian and Arab Christians.
In a recent television interview Pope Francis raised doubts on the viability of his upcoming trip, questioning whether he would actually be able to pay a visit to the war-torn Middle-East country. Last year he had to cancel two of his international trips. He could not travel neither to Indonesia nor to Papua New Guinea. “Since in good conscience I cannot be the cause of gatherings of people, can I?” – so he voiced his reasoning. “Life has changed, thus today I don’t know if making such a trip to Iraq can take place.” – added Pope Francis.
The Iraqi organisers released the logo and motto of the Papal visit on January 13. The motto itself has been taken from Matthew’s Gospel 23:8, “…You are all brothers”, and has been written in Arabic, Chaldean, and Kurdish languages above the logo.
It was last December when the Vatican announced the plans of an Apostolic Journey to Iraq, scheduled for 5 - 8 March 2021, indicating that the Pontiff’s trip would include stops in Baghdad, as well as in the Christians inhabited cities of Erbil and Mosul. Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako has expressed his hope that the Holy Father’s journey would also cover a visit to Najaf in central Iraq, to the city that is considered as one of the main centres of the Shiite Islam’s spiritual and political powers.
In a 2019 Panel Discussion on freedom of religious belief, Patriarch Sako encouraged to sign a statement with the Shiite leaders of Najaf – a very similar one to that of the Abu Dhabi agreement known as “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”. The original document, a joint declaration of historical importance was signed by Pope Francis and the Head of the Sunni Islam’s supreme religious centre, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar University and Mosque, on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. If the trip goes as planned, Pope Francis will be the first Pope paying a visit to Iraq, to the war-torn country that is still in recovery from the wounds and devastation inflicted by the Islamic State. Therefore, such an event would definitely mean a lot to Christianity.
In 2019, in an interview with the Belgian charity organisation, Aid to the Church in Need, Bashar Warda, Archbishop of Erbil said that “Christianity in Iraq is perilously close to extinction.” He also noted: “In the years prior to 2003, as many as 1.5 million Christians were numbered in Iraq, figuring the 6 percent of the country’s population. Today, perhaps as few as 250.000 of us have left. Maybe even less. Those of us who remain must be ready for martyrdom.”

Source: cna, reuters
Photo: CNA