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Banners and Iraqi and Vatican flags go up in central Baghdad to welcome Pope Francis. EPA

Volunteers finalise preparations to recieve Pope Francis in the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira) in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week. AFP

Volunteers stand holding posters welcoming Pope Francis in the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira) in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week. AFP

Posters welcoming Pope Francis are prepared at St. Joseph's Chaldean Church ahead of the Pope's visit, in Baghdad, Iraq. AP Photo

Men stand holding a poster by UNESCO welcoming Pope Francis at a cultural centre in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week. AFP

Pope Francis is preparing for what the Vatican website describes as the "apostolic journey of the holy father" to Iraq this week. Francis' visit will be the first by a pope to Iraq, and Roman Catholics are busy preparing for his arrival. Here, work is done on the roof of St Mary Al Tahira Church at Qaraqosh near Mosul, one of the churches on the Pope's schedule. Getty Images

A worker helps to prepare Erbil international Stadium, also known as the Franso Hariri Stadium, for the visit of Pope Francis to the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. EPA

An Iraqi Christian visits a building in Qaraqosh, Iraq, that bears the scars of ISIS violence. Reuters

Father Ammar Altony Yako leads prayers as Christians attend mass at the Grand Immaculate Old Church in Qaraqosh, the largest church in Iraq. Pope Francis is scheduled to visit on Sunday as part of his tour. Reuters

The town of Qaraqosh was ravaged by ISIS after 2014 and liberated from the extremists in 2017. Christians of all denominations have joined in an effort to encourage their communities to return. Reuters

Christian militiamen and police officers stand guard at a gate in Qaraqosh, Iraq. Reuters

Staff at a shop in Arbil, the capital of Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region, print flyers for Pope Francis's visit. AFP

Workers print flyers of Pope Francis at a shop in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region, ahead of the first-ever papal visit to Iraq. AFP

Musicians from a joint Kurdish and Christians orchestra and choir rehearse at Erbil international Stadium, also known as the Franso Hariri Stadium, for the visit of Pope Francis to the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. EPA

Choristers from a joint Kurdish and Christians orchestra and choir rehearse at Erbil international Stadium for the visit of Pope Francis to the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. EPA

Banners and Iraqi and Vatican flags go up in central Baghdad to welcome Pope Francis. EPA

Volunteers finalise preparations to recieve Pope Francis in the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira) in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week. AFP

Volunteers stand holding posters welcoming Pope Francis in the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception (al-Tahira) in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week. AFP

Posters welcoming Pope Francis are prepared at St. Joseph's Chaldean Church ahead of the Pope's visit, in Baghdad, Iraq. AP Photo

Men stand holding a poster by UNESCO welcoming Pope Francis at a cultural centre in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week. AFP

Pope Francis is preparing for what the Vatican website describes as the "apostolic journey of the holy father" to Iraq this week. Francis' visit will be the first by a pope to Iraq, and Roman Catholics are busy preparing for his arrival. Here, work is done on the roof of St Mary Al Tahira Church at Qaraqosh near Mosul, one of the churches on the Pope's schedule. Getty Images

A worker helps to prepare Erbil international Stadium, also known as the Franso Hariri Stadium, for the visit of Pope Francis to the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. EPA

An Iraqi Christian visits a building in Qaraqosh, Iraq, that bears the scars of ISIS violence. Reuters

Father Ammar Altony Yako leads prayers as Christians attend mass at the Grand Immaculate Old Church in Qaraqosh, the largest church in Iraq. Pope Francis is scheduled to visit on Sunday as part of his tour. Reuters

The town of Qaraqosh was ravaged by ISIS after 2014 and liberated from the extremists in 2017. Christians of all denominations have joined in an effort to encourage their communities to return. Reuters

Christian militiamen and police officers stand guard at a gate in Qaraqosh, Iraq. Reuters

Staff at a shop in Arbil, the capital of Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region, print flyers for Pope Francis's visit. AFP

Workers print flyers of Pope Francis at a shop in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdish region, ahead of the first-ever papal visit to Iraq. AFP

Musicians from a joint Kurdish and Christians orchestra and choir rehearse at Erbil international Stadium, also known as the Franso Hariri Stadium, for the visit of Pope Francis to the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. EPA

Choristers from a joint Kurdish and Christians orchestra and choir rehearse at Erbil international Stadium for the visit of Pope Francis to the capital of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. EPA

Banners and Iraqi and Vatican flags go up in central Baghdad to welcome Pope Francis. EPA

Pope Francis confirms Iraq visit despite envoy catching Covid-19 and rocket attacks

The Pontiff is expected to arrive in Baghdad on Friday on four-day visit that will take him to five historic cities

March 04, 2021

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