Pope Francis said on Monday that he considered the risks of travelling to Iraq during the Covid-19 pandemic, but he decided to go ahead with it after much prayer and belief that God would look after the Iraqis who came out to see him.
Pope Francis, who flew back to Rome on Monday, explained why he chose to make the four-day visit, which featured often maskless crowds in packed churches.
The Pope said the idea of a trip "cooks over time in my conscience" and that the pandemic was the issue that weighed most heavily on him.
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Pope Francis gestures as he boards a plane to depart for Rome, at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad. Reuters -
Cardinals and ranking Catholic clergymen board the Alitalia Airbus A330 aircraft as Pope Francis bids farewell to other bishops and Iraq's President Barham Saleh and his wife Sarbagh before departing from the Iraqi capital's Baghdad International. AFP -
Iraq's President Barham Saleh and his wife Sarbagh escort Pope Francis during the farewell ceremony for the pontiff at the Iraqi capital's Baghdad International Airport. AFP -
Pope Francis meets Abdullah Kurdi, father of little Alan, who was shipwrecked with his brother and mother on the Turkish coast in September 2015 while he was trying to reach Europe with his family, at the end of a Mass in the Erbil Stadium. EPA -
Nuns cheer and dance at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, Iraq. Getty Images -
A baby dressed in papal outfit during a mass with Pope Francis at the Erbil Stadium. EPA -
Nuns take a selfie after the completion of a mass conducted by Pope Francis. Getty Images -
People carry umbrellas as they celebrate after a mass led by Pope Francis at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, Iraq. Reuters -
Pope Francis conducts mass at the Franso Hariri Stadium. Getty Images -
Monks pray during a mass conducted by Pope Francis at the Franso Hariri Stadium. Getty Images -
Pope Francis blesses a statue of the Virgin Mary at a mass at the Franso Hariri Stadium. EPA -
Pope Francis walks with an incense censer as he leads mass at the Franso Hariri Stadium. AFP -
Pope Francis blesses people as he arrives in the popemobile vehicle at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil. AFP -
Pope Francis arrives on the popemobile to celebrate Mass at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil. AP Photo -
Nuns wave flags of Iraq, Kurdistan, and the Holy See as they wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil. AFP -
A faithful waits for Pope Francis to hold Mass at Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil. Reuters -
Pope Francis blessing people as he arrives in the popemobile vehicle at the Franso Hariri Stadium. AFP -
Young women dressed in traditional Kurdish clothing wave flags of the Holy See as they wait for the arrival of Pope Francis at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil. AFP -
Pope Francis arrives to hold a mass at the Grand Immaculate Church, in Qaraqosh. Reuters -
Pope Francis is greeted by people as he arrives at the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira-l-Kubra), in the predominantly Christian town of Qaraqosh. AFP -
Pope Francis arrives at a meeting with local residents at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Qaraqosh. AP Photo -
Pope Francis visits the town before holding a mass at the Grand Immaculate Church, in Qaraqosh. Reuters -
Pope Francis releases a white dove during a prayer for war victims at 'Hosh al-Bieaa', Church Square, in Mosul's Old City. Reuters -
Pope Francis rides in a golf cart at the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception. AFP -
A nun kisses the hand of Pope Francis during a prayer for war victims at 'Hosh al-Bieaa', Church Square, in Mosul's Old City. Reuters -
Pope Francis arrives to pray for war victims at 'Hosh al-Bieaa', Church Square, in Mosul's old city. Reuters -
Pope Francis attends a prayer for the victims of the war at Church Square, Mosul. EPA -
Pope Francis and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Masud Barzani viewing a gift sculpture of a Chaldean cross during their meeting in Arbil, the capital of Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region. AFP -
Pope Francis meeting with the President of the autonomous Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani, the Prime Minister of the 9th cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government Mansour Barzani, and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Masud Barzani in Arbil. AFP -
Pope Francis greets Iraqis dressed in traditional outfits upon his arrival at Erbil airport, in the capital of the northern Iraqi Kurdish autonomous region. AFP -
Pope Francis walks with Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of Kurdistan region, and President of the Kurdistan region in Iraq Nechirvan Barzani, upon his arrival at Erbil International Airport. Reuters -
Iraqi women dressed in traditional outfits hold palm leafs as they welcome Pope Francis upon his arrival at Erbil airport. AFP -
Mansour Barzani, Prime Minister of the 9th cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government looks on , as Pope Francis greets religious dignitaries at the Erbil airport. AFP -
Pope Francis arrives at Erbil International Airport in Iraq. Reuters -
Pope Francis is welcomed at Erbil International Airport in Erbil. Reuters -
Pope Francis greets people as he leave the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph. Getty Images -
Pope Francis leads mass at Baghdad's Saint Joseph Cathedral. AFP -
Iraqi Christian worshippers attend the mass led by the Pope at Baghdad's Saint Joseph Cathedral. AFP -
Pope Francis greeted by children upon his arrival for a mass at Baghdad's Saint Joseph Cathedral. AFP -
Pope Francis blesses the congregation as he leads mass at Baghdad's Saint Joseph Cathedral. AFP -
Pope Francis arrives to lead mass at Baghdad's Saint Joseph Cathedral. AFP -
Pope Francis is greeted by children upon his arrival at Baghdad's Saint Joseph Cathedral. AFP -
People take pictures with their mobiles upon the arrival of Pope Francis. Reuters -
Pope Francis speaks to Iraqi religious figures during an interfaith service at the House of Abraham in the ancient city of Ur in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province. EPA -
Pope Francis speaks to Iraqi religious figures during an interfaith service at the House of Abraham in the ancient city of Ur. EPA -
Pope Francis speaks to Iraqi religious figures during an interfaith service at the House of Abraham in the ancient city of Ur. EPA -
Pope Francis is seen behind flowers at an interfaith service at the House of Abraham in the ancient city of Ur. EPA -
Pope Francis smiles and waves at a women that threw a kiss to him. Haider Husseini/ The National -
People attend an inter-religious ceremony in Ur near Nassiriya. Reuters -
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani meeting with Pope Francis and his delegation, at his home in the holy city of Najaf. AFP -
Pope Francis, accompanied by clerics, and Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, meet in Najaf. Courtesy of the Vatican -
Pope Francis's meeting with Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, in Najaf, followed months of negotiations between Najaf and the Vatican. Reuters -
Pope Francis smiles with Iraq's prime minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi on arrival at Baghdad airport. Handout from the office of the Prime Minister of Iraq -
The Pope visits Our Lady of Salvation Church. Courtesy of the Prime Minister office -
Pope Francis is welcomed upon his arrival at the Our Lady of Salvation Church. AP Photo -
Pope Francis speaks in the Our Lady of Salvation Church. AFP -
Pope Francis greets people in front of the the Our Lady of Salvation Church. AFP -
Nuns welcome Pope Francis at the Our Lady of Salvation Church. AFP -
Iraq's President Barham Salih speaks with Pope Francis during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidental Palace in Baghdad. Reuters -
Iraqi President Barham Salih welcomes Pope Francis at the Presidential Palace. AFP -
Pope Francis walk with Iraq's prime minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi on arrival at Baghdad airport. Handout from the office of the Prime Minister of Iraq -
Pope Francis talks with Iraq's prime minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi on arrival in Baghdad. Handout from the office of the Prime Minister of Iraq -
Pope Francis walks with Iraq's prime minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi on arrival at Baghdad airport. Handout from the office of the Prime Minister of Iraq -
Pope Francis walks alongside Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi upon his arrival in Baghdad. AFP -
Pope Francis waves to the crowd upon his arrival in Baghdad. Reuters -
Pope Francis speaks to journalists aboard the plane heading to Iraq. AP Photo -
Pope Francis waves as he boards the plane for his visit to Iraq, at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy. Reuters -
People holding Iraqi and Vatican flags as they wait for the arrival of Pope Francis, at Baghdad Airport Road, in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters -
A Christian woman holds the Vatican flag as she heads to the airport to wait for the arrival of Pope Francis, in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters
“I prayed a lot about this and in the end I took the decision freely,” Pope Francis said. “It came from inside. I said: ‘He who makes me decide this way will look after the people.'
“I took the decision this way, but after prayer and knowing the risks."
The first papal trip to Iraq ended on Monday and the event aimed to bring hope to the country's marginalised Christian minority while boosting relations with the Muslim world.
Supporting Iraqi Christians
At every turn of his trip, Pope Francis urged Iraqis to embrace diversity – from Najaf in the south, where he held a historic face-to-face meeting with Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, to Nineveh to the north, where he met Christian victims of ISIS and heard their stories of survival.
In between those trips, the pope led an interfaith ceremony on the plain of Ur, near the archeological ruins of the House of Abraham, thought to be the birthplace of the prophet of the Abrahamic religions.
Pope Francis said he prayed about the decision to go to Iraq and hoped he would soon be able to resume public appearances at the Vatican, which have been suspended for months because of the pandemic.
He also suggested he could travel to Lebanon.
He said Covid-19 restrictions left him feeling “a bit imprisoned” but that the tour of Iraq made him feel alive again “because it’s touching the Church, the holy people of God”.
Meeting Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani
In one of the historic moments of the trip, he was invited into the home of Mr Al Sistani, among the most influential Shiite clerics.
The cleric said the two men discussed the "great challenges that humanity faces in this era and the role of faith in God all mighty and his messages and commitment to high moral values in overcoming them".
The Vatican hopes the message of unity can help preserve the place of the thinning Christian population in Iraq’s tapestry of faiths and ethnic groups.
Pope Francis said he was honoured to be received by Mr Al Sistani, 90, whom he called "a great man, a wise man, a man of God".
"He was very respectful," Pope Francis said.
“He never stands up for the greeting. He stood up to greet me – twice,” Pope Francis said.
“This meeting was good for my soul. He is a luminary.”
Pope Francis considered the meeting to be the second major step forward in the Vatican's interfaith efforts with Muslims.
The Pope signed the Document on Human Fraternity with the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb during a historic trip to Abu Dhabi in 2019.
Pope Francis also responded to critics who questioned his efforts to strengthen ties with other faiths.
“Sometimes you have to take risks to take steps forward," he said.
"These are risks that you take in prayer and in dialogue, in seeking advice and in reflection. They are not whims."
But the trip was taxing on the 84-year-old pontiff, whose sciatica nerve pain was apparently flaring up and it made him walk with a pronounced limp.
He said he was not sure whether he would have to slow the pace of future trips.
“I do confess that on this trip I got a lot more tired than during other ones,” he said.
He said it may have been because of his age. “It’s a consequence. But we’ll see."
His next journey could be to Budapest, Hungary, where he will attend the end of an international Eucharistic conference in September, with a possible trip to Bratislava, Slovakia, as part of his itinerary, he said.
Otherwise, the only other trip he promised to make is to Lebanon, although he did not suggest a timetable.
“Lebanon is suffering,” Pope Francis said, referring to its political, economic, social and coronavirus crises.
He said he was asked by the head of Lebanon’s Maronite Christian Church, Patriarch Bechara Rai, to schedule a trip to Beirut while he was in the region.
Pope Francis said he declined the request because he felt he would be offering crumbs to the people of Lebanon as they faced several major problems.
“But I wrote him a letter and promised I’d go to Lebanon,” the pontiff said.
