Pope Francis to visit Iraq in first foreign visit since coronavirus outbreak

MENA

Published: 2020-12-07 14:21

Last Updated: 2024-03-27 03:25


Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters

 

The Vatican announced Monday that the Pope will visit Iraq from March 5-8, in his first foreign trip since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.

"The Pope will visit Baghdad, Ur, Erbil, Mosul and Qaraqosh in Nineveh province," Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement.

 

Baghdad Monday welcomed the "historic" visit, describing it as a "message of peace" to Iraq and the entire region.

"The Pope's visit to Iraq, Mesopotamia, the land of the apostles and the prophets, the home of Ur and the Prophet Abraham, represents a historic event and support for all Iraqis of all kinds," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.