Baghdad – On Monday, church bells rang in Mosul and surrounding towns to honor the passing of Pope Francis, the first pontiff to visit Iraq, a nation deeply affected by the brutality of jihadist groups.
In the historic Al-Tahera church in Qaraqosh, where the Pope had prayed during his 2021 visit, dozens gathered for an Easter mass that also served as a tribute to the beloved leader. Near the altar stood a vacant wooden chair, a poignant reminder of the Pope’s declaration in that same church, when he entrusted the town’s “rebirth” to the Virgin Mary.
Kadun Yuhana, a local resident, expressed deep sorrow over the loss, calling it a major setback for Christians, especially in the Middle East. He fondly remembered the Pope’s visit to Qaraqosh, a town ravaged by jihadist forces who had destroyed churches and desecrated Christian symbols.
In 2014, the Islamic State group’s invasion of Iraq’s Nineveh plains displaced nearly all of Qaraqosh’s 55,000 Christians. Many fled the violence, which had already caused a dramatic decline in Iraq’s Christian population, from 1.5 million to fewer than 400,000 by the time of the Pope’s visit.
Boutros Mazen, a medical assistant, spoke about the unity and love Pope Francis instilled in the Iraqi people. “He left something good to the Iraqi people: their cohesion and unity,” he said.
The Pope’s visit was a historic moment in religious dialogue, marked by his meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the highest Shiite authority in Iraq. It also included a visit to Mosul, where he prayed for the victims of war and urged Christians in the region to remain in their homelands.
For many, including Sanaa Abdul Karim, who fled the jihadist rule in Mosul, Pope Francis’s death is a tragic loss. “He supported the return of Christians to Iraq,” she said, mourning the loss of a leader who had shown unwavering humility and love.
