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Thursday April 25, 2024

Pope says he will visit Iraq as ‘pilgrim of peace’

By AFP
March 05, 2021

VATICAN CITY: On the eve of his historic trip to Iraq, Pope Francis paid tribute on Thursday to those who have suffered from years of violence, saying he came as a "pilgrim of peace". In a video message, the 84-year-old offered his hand to "brothers and sisters of other religions", but also highlighted the heavy toll paid by Iraq’s Christian communities, saying there had been "too many martyrs".