Corona Daily 163: The Pope in Iraq

Pope Francis arrived in Iraq today for a three-day visit.

The coronavirus cases in Iraq have surged from eight hundred a day in January to five thousand a day now. Vatican’s ambassador in Iraq, Mitja Leskovar, has tested positive, and won’t be allowed to see the Pope. On Wednesday, there were rocket attacks, including one near Erbil airport, where the Pope will arrive on Sunday. The US embassy in Iraq issued a warning today to American citizens: “Attacks may occur with little or no warning, impacting airports, tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities.” Not known whether the warning had anything to do with the papal visit.

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In July 2019, Iraq’s president Barham Salih had invited Pope Francis. Then the pandemic happened, and the Pope went into a year-long isolation. The invitation must have been open-ended.

In 2000, Pope John Paul II sought to make a pilgrimage to Iraq. But negotiations with Saddam Hussein’s government failed. John Paul wept, according to Pope Francis. Benedict XVI was invited in 2008, but having no suicidal tendencies, he didn’t visit in the middle of a war.

Pope Francis said he didn’t want to disappoint the Iraqi people. He was perhaps emboldened by the two Pfizer shots he received. His entourage is vaccinated as well. Iraq hasn’t yet got any vaccines.

Today, he became the first Pope to visit Iraq. More than 1000 Christians and 2000 Muslims received him at the airport. Baghdad roads were cleaned and full of roses. Curfew was in place anyway for coronavirus. Large posters of the slain commander Qassim Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandid have been temporarily replaced by the smiling photos of Pope Francis. Pope Francis left the airport in a bullet-proof black BMW. During his trip, he will tour Iraq in cars, helicopters and flights.

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Christianity’s roots in Iraq date back to the first decades of the faith. The tombs of biblical figures such as Jonah and Joshua are believed to be here. On Saturday, the Pope will attend an inter-religious meeting at the Plain or Ur, the home of Abraham, the patriarch of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. (My short story Baqri-Id was based on the Abraham story told in Bible as well as Koran).

Until 2003, Iraq had nearly 1.2 million Christians. Saddam Hussein offered them protection; he even had a Christian deputy PM.  Between 2014 and 2017, the Islamic State tried to eliminate Christianity from Iraq. The Jihadists gave the Christians three options. Leave, convert to Islam or get killed. So many fled that the latest estimate is around 250,000 Christians.

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Earlier on Saturday, Pope Francis will fly to Najaf, the holiest city, for a meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Pope Francis is 84, whereas the Grand Ayatollah is 90. This is a mild Ayatollah, proposed for a Nobel peace prize a few times, without getting it. In Iraq, they don’t have the celibacy nonsense. Ayatollah is married and has two sons. He and the Pope will meet by themselves (one assumes with interpreters) for peace talks.

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In June 1999, I stood for a few hours on the central street of Warsaw to see John Paul II. I was only a few feet away from him when his bullet-proof glass chariot rode past. What astounded me that day was the level of security. Snipers were placed on rooftops. The Pope is one of the highest security risks in the world.

Though Vatican has said social distancing, masks and curfew will be observed, it is unlikely to happen. Today, more than 10,000 security forces are deployed on the streets. Biden, only the second Catholic president after John Kennedy, will need to be careful not to drop any retaliatory bombs on Iraq until Monday. On Sunday, when Pope Francis performs at a soccer stadium, the roads and stadium will be full. Christians out of devotion, and Muslims out of curiosity will crowd the streets.       

Iraq is controlled by six different militia groups. Talking to the 90-year-old Ayatollah is unlikely to solve any problems. The intent of Pope Francis's visit may be good, but its timing is bizarre and irresponsible. 

Ravi