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- The head of the Chaldean Catholic Church said he does not believe that the pope will be in danger in Iraq
- 鈥淗e comes to tell us that religion does not divide; quite the opposite, it can unite,鈥� Sako said
ROME: The visit of Pope Francis to Iraq on March 5-8 will be 鈥渁n exceptional event鈥� for the nearly half a million Christians living in the country, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, told Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera.
鈥淲e had been waiting for a pope to come to Iraq for decades. We needed it immensely after all these years of darkness,鈥� said Sako, whose family comes from the Iraqi city of Mosul, and whose appointment as cardinal by Pope Francis in 2018 was seen as a sign of the Vatican鈥檚 appreciation of the country鈥檚 Christians.
鈥淭he pope鈥檚 visit to Iraq sends a signal of hope, not only to our country, not only to the Christian community, but to the entire Middle East.鈥�
After decades of war and pain, 鈥渢he pope鈥檚 message of peace and brotherhood is of exceptional importance. He comes to tell us that religion does not divide; quite the opposite, it can unite,鈥� said Sako.
鈥淚t helps to find common languages 鈥嬧€媔n God and in faith. We must put an end to the decline of civil coexistence,鈥� he added. 鈥淭he pope will come here to tell us that we are all brothers, all children of God.鈥�
Sako said he does not believe that the pope will be in danger in Iraq. 鈥淭he security measures taken are impressive. Daesh has lost strength,鈥� he added.