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| Pope Francis arrives in Najaf, Iraq on March 6, 2021, to meet with Ayatollah Ali Alsistani, the chief Shi’ite priest. © Reuters = News1 © News1 Reporter Seoyoon Choi |
Pope Francis commenced his second day of his historic visit to Iraq on the 6th. Ayatollah Ali Alsistani is expected to meet with the highest Shi’ite cleric of Iraq and strongly appeal for coexistence in a land divided by sectarianism and violence.
This is the first time in Catholic history in 2000 that the Catholic Pope has met a high-ranking Shi’ite priest.
According to Reuters, Iraqi state-run Ekvariya TV broadcasted the pope’s appearance in Najaf, southern Iraq, traveling to meet Sistany in a large convoy.
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| A poster showing the Pope and Ayatollah Ali Alsistani’s supreme Shi’ite priest was on display ahead of Pope Francis’ visit on March 3, 2021 in Najaf, Iraq. © Reuters = News1 © News1 Reporter Seoyoon Choi |
Sistani, 90, is one of the most important figures in Shi’ite Islam, not just in Iraq, and is not only respected by the people, but also exerts great political influence.
Pope Francis has expressed his intentions to visit Iraq several times since his conquest in 2013. Earlier, he visited Islamic countries such as Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, UAE and Palestine to urge interreligious dialogue.
Pope Francis arrived at Baghdad International Airport on a private plane the day before at 1:55 pm. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al Qadhimi met the Pope himself.
After meeting with Sistani, the Pope will visit the ruins of Ur in southern Iraq, revered as the birthplace of Abraham, the father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.