Pope Francis leaves Rome for historic Iraq trip: AFP

March 5, ROME (AFP): Pope Francis left Rome on Friday for a historic trip to Iraq, his first abroad since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to an AFP reporter aboard his plane.

The Vatican has planned a packed three-day program for the 84-year-old pope, which is intended to bring comfort to Iraq’s devastated Christian communities and will mark the high point in his continued outreach to Muslims with a meeting with reclusive Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.