Pope to hold Mass in Erbil, meet top Kurdistan Region officials in early March

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Vatican announced that Pope Francis is scheduled to hold Mass in the autonomous Kurdistan Region’s capital Erbil as well as meeting top officials upon his scheduled visit to Iraq in early March.

The pontiff will arrive first in Baghdad on March 5 and will arrive in Erbil two days later, where he is scheduled to lead a Sunday service at Franso Hariri Stadium, according to an itinerary published by the Vatican on Monday.

Pope Francis will also meet with various tip level officials of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

In his visit to the Vatican last February, premier Barzani took the opportunity to “invite His Holiness to visit the Kurdistan Region the next time he travels to Iraq.” 

During the visit, Barzani explained to the pope “the critical role the KRG has played in protecting minorities in the Kurdistan Region, including Christians, from terrorism and persecution.”

Read More: WATCH: Pope Francis praises Kurdistan's tolerance during Vatican meeting with PM Barzani

The religious leader is also expected to travel to Nineveh province's city of Qaraqosh and to lead prayers at a church in Mosul, the agenda noted.

The visit is the first of its kind by the Pope to Iraq after Pope St. John Paul II's scheduled trip in the year 2000 was canceled.

In mid-2019, Pope Francis announced that he intended to embark on his first visit to Iraq the following year, but it was postponed amid regional tensions and ongoing anti-government protests across southern and central parts of the country.

Editing by John J. Catherine