Pope Francis led prayers in the shadow of Mosul's destroyed churches
Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini
Pope Francis prayed for the victims of war in battle-scarred Mosul on the third day of his historic Iraq visit on Sunday, visiting churches in the Old City, which was largely destroyed in fighting to drive out Islamic State militants nearly four years ago.
Security across the city was extremely tight ahead of his arrival, with roads closed and soldiers deployed on nearly every street. The Pope arrived in a black armoured sedan flanked by black-uniformed Iraqi special forces and a suit-wearing Vatican security detail.
His arrival was greeted by ululating women and a crowd chanting “Viva el Papa” as children dressed in traditional folk costumes of Nineveh waved Iraqi flags. Dozens of Christians who have recently returned to the city were joined by local dignitaries and Yazidi, Christian, Shia and Sunni religious leaders.
Members of the St. Yousef Choir of Karamles wait for the Pope's arrival
Credit: Sam Tarling for The Telegraph
In an address, the Pope referred to the city’s rich cultural history and the attempts by Islamic State extremists to eradicate it.
“How cruel it is that this country, the cradle of civilisation, should have been afflicted by so barbarous a blow, with ancient places of worship destroyed and many thousands of people – Muslims, Christians, Yazidis and others – forcibly displaced or killed,” he said.
“Today, however, we reaffirm our conviction that fraternity is more durable than fratricide, that hope is more powerful than hatred, that peace more powerful than war.”
The 84-year-old Pontiff referred to the extremist jihadist group indirectly when he addressed an audience of hundreds, saying that hope could never be “silenced by the blood spilled by those who pervert the name of God to pursue paths of destruction.”
The Pope was met by crowds waving flags and chanting 'Viva el Papa'
Credit: REUTERS/Yara Nardi
The fundamentalist rule of Islamic State in Mosul was characterised by religious intolerance and a rejection of the city’s multicultural history. Archaeological and religious sites were vandalised and looted by the extremists and the city’s 2,000 remaining Christian families forced into exile.
Waving olive branches and wearing vests emblazoned with the Virgin Mary, a group of mostly Muslim volunteers present at the ceremony said they had been working to eradicate the impact that IS had made on the city ahead of the Pope’s visit.
Qamar, a 22-year-old Mosul University student , said she and her Virgin Mary volunteers have been clearing streets of rubble and helping renovate damaged churches and mosques since the fighting ended in summer 2017.
“Daesh tried to destroy multiculturalism in the city,” she said, but Christians were an important part of the city’s heritage, she added.
“The Pope’s visit is important for all Mosul,” she said. “He’s bringing us peace and love and tolerance.”
Church Square in Mosul is surrounded by four churches of different denominations, all of which were damaged when Islamic State occupied the city
Credit: Sam Tarling for The Telegraph
Among the Christians who have returned to their homes in the city, Geneve Avadees said the Pope’s visit encouraged her to feel that she had a future in the city. “We love our country and Mosul,” she said. “This is our city and our land and we didn’t want to leave.”
The Pope’s visit lasted a little over an hour, at the end of which he made an unexpected exit from his vehicle to greet several children and a Christian man.
Earlier in the week the 63-year-old, Saadallah Rassam, told The Telegraph he was the last Christian left living in Old Mosul and that he would cry if he were able to see the pope.
Shortly after kissing the Pope’s hand, Mr Rassam stood alone in the sunshine blinking back tears, with a slightly different perspective on his life.
“I told the Pope I was the first Christian back in Mosul’s Old City,” he said.
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