Pope%20urges%20Iraq%20to%20embrace%20its%20Christians%20on%20historic%20visit


BAGHDAD%0A%0APope%20Francis%20opened%20the%20first-ever%20papal%20visit%20to%20Iraq%20on%20Friday%20with%20a%20plea%20for%20the%20country%20to%20protect%20its%20centuries-old%20diversity%2C%20urging%20Muslims%20to%20embrace%20their%20Christian%20neighbors%20as%20a%20precious%20resource%20and%20asking%20the%20embattled%20Christian%20community%20--%20%u201Cthough%20small%20like%20a%20mustard%20seed%u201D%20--%20to%20persevere.%0A%0AFrancis%20brushed%20aside%20the%20coronavirus%20pandemic%20and%20security%20concerns%20to%20resume%20his%20globe-trotting%20papacy%20after%20a%20yearlong%20hiatus%20spent%20under%20COVID-19%20lockdown%20in%20Vatican%20City.%20His%20primary%20aim%20over%20the%20weekend%20is%20to%20encourage%20Iraq%u2019s%20dwindling%20Christian%20population%2C%20which%20was%20violently%20persecuted%20by%20the%20Islamic%20State%20group%20and%20still%20faces%20discrimination%20by%20the%20Muslim%20majority%2C%20to%20stay%20and%20help%20rebuild%20the%20country%20devastated%20by%20wars%20and%20strife.%0A%0A%u201COnly%20if%20we%20learn%20to%20look%20beyond%20our%20differences%20and%20see%20each%20other%20as%20members%20of%20the%20same%20human%20family%2C%26quot%3B%20Francis%20told%20Iraqi%20authorities%20in%20his%20welcoming%20address%2C%20%26quot%3Bwill%20we%20be%20able%20to%20begin%20an%20effective%20process%20of%20rebuilding%20and%20leave%20to%20future%20generations%20a%20better%2C%20more%20just%20and%20more%20humane%20world.%u201D%0A%0AThe%2084-year-old%20pope%20donned%20a%20facemask%20during%20the%20flight%20from%20Rome%20and%20throughout%20all%20his%20protocol%20visits%2C%20as%20did%20his%20hosts.%20But%20the%20masks%20came%20off%20when%20the%20leaders%20sat%20down%20to%20talk%2C%20and%20social%20distancing%20and%20other%20health%20measures%20appeared%20lax%20at%20the%20airport%20and%20on%20the%20streets%20of%20Baghdad%2C%20despite%20the%20country%u2019s%20worsening%20COVID-19%20outbreak.%0A%0AThe%20government%20is%20eager%20to%20show%20off%20the%20relative%20stability%20it%20has%20achieved%20after%20the%20defeat%20of%20the%20IS%20%u201Ccaliphate.%u201D%20Nonetheless%2C%20security%20measures%20were%20tight.%0A%0AFrancis%2C%20who%20relishes%20plunging%20into%20crowds%20and%20likes%20to%20travel%20in%20an%20open-sided%20popemobile%2C%20was%20transported%20around%20Baghdad%20in%20an%20armored%20black%20BMWi750%2C%20flanked%20by%20rows%20of%20motorcycle%20police.%20It%20was%20believed%20to%20be%20the%20first%20time%20Francis%20had%20used%20a%20bulletproof%20car%20%u2014%20both%20to%20protect%20him%20and%20keep%20crowds%20from%20forming.%0A%0AIraqis%2C%20though%2C%20seemed%20keen%20to%20welcome%20Francis%20and%20the%20global%20attention%20his%20visit%20brought.%20Some%20lined%20the%20road%20to%20cheer%20his%20motorcade.%20Banners%20and%20posters%20in%20central%20Baghdad%20depicted%20Francis%20with%20the%20slogan%20%u201CWe%20are%20all%20Brothers.%u201D%0A%0ASome%20hoping%20to%20get%20close%20were%20sorely%20disappointed%20by%20the%20heavy%20security%20cordons.%0A%0A%u201CIt%20was%20my%20great%20wish%20to%20meet%20the%20pope%20and%20pray%20for%20my%20sick%20daughter%20and%20pray%20for%20her%20to%20be%20healed.%20But%20this%20wish%20was%20not%20fulfilled%2C%u201D%20said%20Raad%20William%20Georges%2C%20a%2052-year-old%20father%20of%20three%20who%20said%20he%20was%20turned%20away%20when%20he%20tried%20to%20see%20Francis%20during%20his%20visit%20to%20Our%20Lady%20of%20Salvation%20Cathedral%20in%20the%20Karrada%20neighborhood.%0A%0A%u201CThis%20opportunity%20will%20not%20be%20repeated%2C%26quot%3B%20he%20said%20ruefully.%20%u201CI%20will%20try%20tomorrow%2C%20I%20know%20it%20will%20not%20happen%2C%20but%20I%20will%20try.%u201D%0A%0AFrancis%20told%20reporters%20aboard%20the%20papal%20plane%20that%20he%20was%20happy%20to%20be%20resuming%20his%20travels%20again%20and%20said%20it%20was%20particularly%20symbolic%20that%20his%20first%20trip%20was%20to%20Iraq%2C%20the%20traditional%20birthplace%20of%20Abraham%2C%20revered%20by%20Muslims%2C%20Christians%20and%20Jews.%0A%0A%u201CThis%20is%20an%20emblematic%20journey%2C%u201D%20he%20said.%20%u201CIt%20is%20also%20a%20duty%20to%20a%20land%20tormented%20by%20many%20years.%u201D%0A%0AFrancis%20was%20visibly%20limping%20throughout%20the%20afternoon%20in%20a%20sign%20his%20sciatica%20nerve%20pain%2C%20which%20has%20flared%20and%20forced%20him%20to%20cancel%20events%20recently%2C%20was%20possibly%20bothering%20him.%20He%20nearly%20tripped%20as%20he%20climbed%20up%20the%20steps%20to%20the%20cathedral%20and%20an%20aide%20had%20to%20steady%20him.%0A%0AAt%20a%20pomp-filled%20gathering%20with%20President%20Barham%20Salih%20at%20a%20palace%20inside%20Baghdad%27s%20heavily%20fortified%20Green%20Zone%2C%20Francis%20said%20Christians%20and%20other%20minorities%20in%20Iraq%20deserve%20the%20same%20rights%20and%20protections%20as%20the%20Shiite%20Muslim%20majority.%0A%0A%u201CThe%20religious%2C%20cultural%20and%20ethnic%20diversity%20that%20has%20been%20a%20hallmark%20of%20Iraqi%20socie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seeing%20a%20new%20spike%20in%20coronavirus%20infections%2C%20with%20most%20new%20cases%20traced%20to%20the%20highly%20contagious%20variant%20first%20identified%20in%20Britain.%20Francis%2C%20the%20Vatican%20delegation%20and%20travelling%20media%20have%20been%20vaccinated%3B%20most%20Iraqis%20have%20not%2C%20raising%20questions%20about%20the%20potential%20for%20the%20trip%20to%20fuel%20infections.%0A%0AThe%20Vatican%20and%20Iraqi%20authorities%20have%20downplayed%20the%20threat%20and%20insisted%20that%20social%20distancing%2C%20crowd%20control%20and%20other%20health%20care%20measures%20will%20be%20enforced.%0A%0ATo%20some%20degree%20they%20were%2C%20but%20that%20didn%u2019t%20diminish%20the%20happiness%20of%20ordinary%20Iraqis%20%u2014%20Christians%20and%20Muslims%20alike%20%u2014%20that%20Francis%20had%20come%20to%20their%20home.%0A%0A%u201DWe%20cannot%20express%20our%20joy%20because%20this%20for%20sure%20is%20a%20historic%20event%20which%20we%20will%20keep%20remembering%2C%u201D%20said%20Rafif%20Issa.%20%u201CAll%20Iraqis%20are%20happy%2C%20not%20just%20the%20Christians.%20We%20hope%20it%20will%20be%20a%20blessed%20day%20for%20us%20and%20for%20all%20the%20Iraqi%20people.%u201D



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Happy New Year !!

Wishing you all a very happy NEW YEAR, dear friends !! Here is an image of sunrise over Andaman sea as taken from Havelock islands in Andam...

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