Popular Articles |
As Saint Francis travelled to the East where he met Sultan Malik al-Kamil, so we hope Pope Francis “may come to Iraq to confirm us our faith and give our people in the land of Abraham courage and hope,”
said His Beatitude Mar Louis Raphael I Sako The head of the Chaldean Catholic Church during an audience with the pontiff Thursday morning in the Vatican. “Yes,” answered the pope, “with joy.”
The prelate said that he was “struck by the pope’s simplicity and spontaneity”. He was very moved when the two talked about the tragic fate of Iraqi Christians.
“I stood before a father and a first-class pastor,” the patriarch said. “When I
told him that our land had to endure 950 martyrs and 57 churches attacked, he said: ‘I feel pain for you.’”
Francis also asked him about his diocese, about vocations in his country, tormented by ten years of violence and conflict between Shiites and Sunnis.
“He asked me to pray for him,” the prelate explained. “And I invited him to visit us in Iraq. The pontiff said he looks forward to visiting our country, which is also where Abraham began his journey. His visit would inspire us with courage and hope.”
By Deacon Kandra
More Articles |