President gives an Official Invitation to the Pope to Visit Iraq

INA – BAGHDAD

President Barham Salih gave an official invitation to Pope Francis to visit Iraq.

Salih received the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon, H.B. Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael I Sako, at the Presidential Office in Baghdad on Thursday.

In a letter addressed to the Pope, President Salih indicated that the Pope’s visit is of great historical importance in supporting Iraq internationally for connotations and considerable meaning it holds, as well as the visit would contribute to enhancing social cohesion among the Iraqi communities.

During the meeting, Salih commended the people of the Christian faith’s significant role in the history of Iraq, and highlighted their outstanding contribution to consolidation of brotherly relations as well as to the promotion of values of citizenship and tolerance among our people without discrimination.

For his part, Pope Sako emphasized the importance of the President’s role in supporting the Christians, and His Excellency’s diligent efforts to enhance the bonds of national cohesion among all the people of this country.