Pope Francis meets powerful leader of Shia muslims in Iraq at…
Pope Francis meets powerful leader of Shia muslims in Iraq at Abraham’s birthplace Pope Francis has held a symbolic meeting with one of the most powerful figures in Shia Islam on the second day of his landmark trip to Iraq. The Pope’s encounter with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the spiritual leader of millions of Shia Muslims, took place in the holy city of Najaf. It is the Pope’s first international trip since the start of the pandemic – and the first ever papal visit to Iraq. Covid-19 and security fears have made this the pontiff’s riskiest trip yet. media captionThe Pope’s Iraq visit is his first international trip since the start of the coronavirus pandemic The pontiff will later travel to the ancient city of Ur, where the Prophet Abraham – central to Islam, Christianity and Judaism – is believed to have been born. About 10,000 Iraqi Security Forces personnel are being deployed to protect the Pope during his visit, while round-the-clock curfews are also being imposed to