POPE FRANCIS flew to Iraq today despite concerns over coronavirus and security risks – after scholars claimed the Bible’s “rebirth of Babylon” prophecy could come to fruition.
Callum Hoare09:20, Fri, Mar 5, 2021
The Vatican leader’s arrival in Baghdad marks the first-ever papal visit to the biblical land and he will now begin a four-day pilgrimage in the footsteps of Abraham – an important figure recognised by Jews, Christians and Muslims. The Pope went ahead with the trip despite a new spike in COVID-19 infections in Iraq and concerns over his security, as he stated Iraqi Christians could not be “let down for a second time”. Pope John Paul II cancelled plans for a trip at the end of 1999 after talks with then-President Saddam Hussein’s government broke down and since then the number of Christians in Iraq has plummeted from 1.4 million to about 250,000.
The visit of the Pope has a highly symbolic value given the importance of Iraqi Christians in the history of the country, dating back to the time of ancient Babylon, nearly 4,000 years ago.
Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi stated he hopes it will inspire Christians to return and help rebuild the nation after years of devastation under the hands of al-Qaeda first and, more recently, ISIS.
He said in August: “We are glad that Christians will return to Iraq and contribute to its reconstruction.
“Iraqis of all sects are yearning for a new Iraq that believes in peace and rejects violence.”
Content retrieved from: https://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/1405893/pope-francis-iraq-trip-security-concern-isis-al-qaeda-bible-babylon-rebirth-abraham-spt?fbclid=IwAR1ltfx_NAZ4XG02BeKO5apVxF4tmCPe6-f8jiLvoMKvjkvQ7RNz1uy1H7Y.