Anniversary of Pope Francis’ Visit to Iraq (5–8 March 2021) and National Tolerance Day
Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako
Today we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the visit of the late Pope Francis to Najaf and his meeting with the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, as well as the visit to Ur, the homeland of Abraham, on March 6, 2021. This occasion also coincides with National Tolerance Day, proclaimed by the former Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi.
On this occasion we had prepared a pilgrimage to Ur to celebrate a prayer for peace, but the current circumstances have made it impossible.
The Pope’s visit represented an event of global significance because of the profound meanings it left behind and its great impact, especially as it took place in a politically unstable context. During the meeting, Pope Francis and Sayyid Ali al-Sistani exchanged views on the importance of strengthening dialogue and cooperation between religions as a fundamental pillar for consolidating a culture of love, mutual respect, and cooperation in building peace and the future, as well as for rejecting violence, wars, and the language of hatred and division.
Today, while the region is living in the midst of a devastating war, it is necessary for the messengers of peace from all religions to raise their voices strongly to stop wars and achieve the peace that peoples aspire to.
We, as the Chaldean, while following the situation with concern, support efforts for peace and pray that the storm may pass.
