The two strong images of the first day of Pope Francis' trip to Iraq will be his freedom in the face of health constraints - he did not hesitate to shake many hands, sometimes without a mask, as the country is going through a peak of Covid- 19 - and his meditation, in the Notre-Dame-du-Salut cathedral in Baghdad, the site of an Islamist attack in full mass, on October 31, 2010, which left 48 dead and 70 wounded, and where Francis insisted on starting his three-day Iraqi journey.
Read also:
Pope Francis' high-risk trip to Iraq
On the plane, the Argentinian Pope, with his usual sense of humor, had promised reporters:
"I will try to follow the indications and not to give a hand to everyone, but I do not want to stay far."
But as soon as he arrived, his desire for human proximity made him shake hands with all the government ministers who had come to welcome him as well as during his meeting with the authorities and the diplomatic corps, where he wore his mask in his hand.
Still without a mask, his face very smiling, he still shook a few hands on his arrival at the colorful cathedral, visibly refraining from touching the disabled people who welcomed him, but the natural came back stronger in this 84-year-old pope who has was duly vaccinated before leaving and was very anxious to resume papal travel after a year and a half of hiatus.
Pope Francis in the Notre-Dame-du-Salut cathedral in Baghdad, site of an Islamist attack during mass, October 31, 2010. YARA NARDI / REUTERS
"A healthy religious, ethnic and cultural pluralism"
This proximity, Pope Francis wanted to mark it from the start by specifying the spirit of his journey before the highest authorities of the country:
"I come as a penitent who asks forgiveness from Heaven and the brothers for many destructions and cruelties.
I come as a pilgrim of peace, in the name of Christ, Prince of peace.
How much we have prayed over the years for peace in Iraq! ”
And to implore:
"Let the guns be silent!
May the distribution be limited, here and everywhere!
Let the partisan interests cease, those external interests which are disinterested in the local population.
Let the builders and peacemakers speak;
to the little ones, to the poor, to simple people who want to live, work, pray in peace!
Enough violence, extremism, factions, intolerance!
"
To read also:
"We must help the Christians of Iraq to enjoy a real citizenship"
The Pope also recalled a constant demand from the Catholic Church for Christians in the Middle East, access to full citizenship which is prohibited to them:
“It is essential to ensure the participation of all political groups, social and religious rights, and to guarantee the fundamental rights of all citizens.
Let no one be considered a second class citizen. ”
Therefore, the
“participation in public life”
of Christians
“as citizens enjoying full rights, freedom and responsibility will testify that a healthy religious, ethnic and cultural pluralism can contribute to the prosperity and harmony of the world. country ”
.
During his visit to Iraq, Pope Francis shook hands despite the health context.
YARA NARDI / REUTERS
Tribute to "all the victims of violence and persecution"
Another strong mention in the mouth of the Catholic Pope, the memory of the Yazidis, this ethnic and religious community of Mesopotamian origin which was particularly persecuted by the Islamists of Daesh:
"I cannot fail to recall the Yazidis, innocent victims of barbarities senseless and inhumane, persecuted and killed because of their religious affiliation. "
For the Pope, this
religious
“diversity”
is precisely
“not an obstacle to be eliminated”
but
“a precious resource from which to draw”
.
Because
"religion, by its nature, must be at the service of peace and brotherhood"
and never
"the name of God can be used to justify acts of homicide, exile, terrorism and oppression ”
.
Finally, in this church, in front of the victims' memorial, he extended his prayer to
“the brothers and sisters who died in the terrorist attack in this cathedral ten years ago and whose cause for beatification is underway.”
But also to
“all the victims of violence and persecution, belonging to any religious community whatsoever”
.
"Let the guns be silent!", Launches the Pope during his historic visit to Iraq - Watch on Figaro Live
