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Pope Francis on Friday arrived in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad for a historic apostolic four-day trip to the Middle Eastern nation, Iraq’s official news agency INA reported.
The papal plane landed at Baghdad International Airport after taking off from the Italian Fiumicino air harbor on Friday morning.
Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi arrived at the Baghdad airport to receive Pope Francis, according to an INA correspondent.
The pope became the first-ever pontiff to visit the homeland of Abraham.
His visit is described as an act of solidarity with the Christian community and a symbolic outreach to Muslims.
Ahead of the visit, the pope said, in a special address to the Iraqi people, that he would come to their country as a peace messenger to pray for reconciliation after years of war and terrorism, which have plagued Iraq. (Sputnik/NAN)
