Iraqis hold memorial mass in Baghdad for late Pope Francis

Shafaq News/ Tearful prayers filled the air as Iraqi Christians gathered on Friday at Mar Yousif Chaldean Church in Baghdad to hold a memorial mass for the late Pope Francis.

Priests, nuns, and worshippers assembled at the church in the Karrada district, where hymns were sung and prayers offered for the Pope’s soul in a solemn and emotional ceremony, Shafaq News correspondent reported, adding that a portrait of the late pontiff was placed at the altar alongside the Iraqi flag, symbolizing his historic ties with the country.

Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 after months of health complications, made a landmark visit to Iraq in March 2021—the first by any pontiff to the country. During his trip, he met with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, visited Baghdad, Mosul, and Erbil, and celebrated an open-air mass attended by thousands.

Iraqi and Kurdish leaders, including Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, mourned Pope Francis as a symbol of peace.

Delegations from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are set to participate in the official farewell ceremony in Rome.