Pope Francis has kicked off his historic Apostolic Trip to Iraq, fulfilling the dream of St. Pope John Paul II, and marking the first time a Roman Catholic Pontiff has visited the country.

He landed in the nation’s capital of Baghdad, amid a warm welcome, at about 1:30 local time (11:30 a.m. Rome time).

This March 5-8 travel marks the Holy Father’s 33^rd International Trip after a long period without travel due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Under the motto “All of You Are Brothers” (Matthew 23:8), Francis during his intense three-day visit will visit the cities of Baghdad, Najaf, Nassiriya, Erbil, Mosul and Qaraqosh. The trip includes an interreligious meeting, four addresses and two Masses. The Holy Father will be giving his addresses and homilies in Italian.

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Yesterday, on his Twitter account @Pontifex, the Pope stated: “Tomorrow I will travel to Iraq to carry out a three-day pilgrimage. For a long time I have wanted to visit that nation which has suffered so much. I ask you all to accompany me with prayer on this apostolic journey, so that it unfolds in the best possible way and bears the hoped for fruits.”

Keeping tradition, on the eve of the trip, Pope Francis went to Rome’s Marian Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for a moment of prayer before the icon of the Virgin Salus Populi Romani (Protectress of the Roman People), and to entrust to her protection the apostolic journey.

According to the Holy See Press Office, prior to leaving his residence Casa Santa Marta shortly before 7 am, the Holy Father spent a few minutes with about 12 Iraqi refugees living in Italy housed by the Community of Sant’Egidio and the Auxilium Cooperative. The Pontiff’s Apostolic Almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski accompanied the group.

The Holy Father then travelled 29 kilometers by car to the Rome-Fiumicino Airport, and the Alitalia papal flight took off about 7:35 am for Baghdad.

The four and a half hour flight covered some 2,947 kilometers before arriving in Baghdad’s International Airport. The plane flew over countries including Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Israel and Jordan.

As the Pontiff left Italian territory, he, as is tradition during Apostolic Trips, sent a telegram to President of the Republic of Italy, Sergio Mattarella.

“At the moment I leave Rome to go to Iraq, as pilgrim of peace and fraternity among peoples, I am pleased to address to you my respectful greeting, Mr President, which I accompany with fervent desires of serenity and prosperity for the beloved Italian people.”

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