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| - Pope Francis will on Friday become the first ever pontiff to visit Iraq, seeking to bring succour and comfort to weary Christians in the conflict-torn country. The ancient community can trace its roots back almost two thousand years, making Iraq the nation with one of the world's oldest continuous Christian presences. But years of war and persecution have seen Christian numbers dwindle in past decades, with only about 400,000 now remaining. The challenging visit, which will take place amid tight security and despite the global pandemic, will also mark a highpoint in the pope's continued outreach to Muslims. He is due to hold unprecedented private talks with the powerful but reclusive Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. The highest religious authority for many Shiite Muslims, Sistani is never seen in public and rarely grants meetings. AFP is deploying a team of journalists, photographers and videographers to all the sites on the pope's packed three-day tour, including an AFP reporter and photojournalist, who are travelling from Vatican City on board the pope's plane. Our teams will trace and chronicle each moment of the historic trip, including with live video from AFPTV, from the Iraqi capital Baghdad, to the ancient city of Ur, believed to be the birthplace of Abraham, and the holy Shiite Muslim city of Najaf. On Sunday the pope will also meet with Kurdish leaders in Arbil, visit the ruined city of Mosul struggling to rebuild after once being a stronghold of the so-called Islamic State group, and meet with the faithful in the Christian town of Qaraqosh. Below is a programme of stories which we will be moving over the coming days ahead of the visit, accompanied by videos, photos and graphics: Monday, March 1 Vatican-pope-Iraq,ADVANCER BAGHDAD Pope Francis is to start the first-ever papal visit to Iraq on Friday, an act of solidarity with an ancient but dwindling Christian community and a symbolic outreach to Muslims. 800 words by Maya Gebeily. Picture. Video. Graphic Vatican-pope-Iraq,FACTS BAGHDAD Pope Francis has an ambitious agenda for the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, including some of the country's most treasured sites. AFP takes a look at five key locations the pontiff will visit. 750 words by Maya Gebeily. Picture. Video. Graphic Iraq-Christians-Vatican-pope,SPECIAL REPORT BAGHDAD Some fled after the US-led invasion, others during sectarian bloodshed and more following jihadist attacks. Iraq's last two violent decades have hollowed out its Christian community which dates back two millennia. 1,700 words by Sarah Benhaida with AFP bureaus. Video. Picture. ATTN EDS: This story was first published on February 22 Iraq-Christians-Vatican-pope-Mosul,FOCUS KARAMLESH, Iraq From Mosul's rubble-strewn streets to ancient churches at Karamlesh, badly damaged by the Islamic State group, Archbishop Najeeb Michaeel is preparing for the first-ever papal visit toIraq. 600 words by Sarah Benhaida. Video. Picture. ATTN EDS: This story was first published on February 22 Tuesday, March 2 Vatican-pope-Iraq,FOCUS BAGHDAD A second coronavirus wave, a full lockdown, rising security tensions and poor infrastructure: Iraqis are moving mountains to overcome major challenges to host Pope Francis in their homeland. 800 words by Maya Gebeily with AFP's Iraq teams. Picture. Video Wednesday, March 3 Vatican-pope-Iraq-Islam,FOCUS VATICAN CITY Pope Francis has made boosting ties between Christianity and Islam a cornerstone of his papacy. Now the spiritual leader of the world's 1.3 billion Roman Catholics is set for unprecedented and private talks with Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the highest religious authority for many Shiite Muslims. 700 words by Catherine Marciano. Graphic Friday, March 5 Vatican-pope-Iraq,WRAP BAGHDAD Pope Francis is to become the first ever pontiff to visit Iraq, seeking to bring hope and comfort to one of the world's oldest Christian communities torn apart by decades of conflict and terror. 700 words. Picture. Video. Graphic Vatican-pope-Iraq-Sistani-religion-politics,PROFILE NAJAF, Iraq Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the highest religious authority for many Shiite Muslims, has wielded subtle but unprecedented power for a cleric, steering Iraq through decades of dictatorship, occupation and violence. 800 words by Maya Gebeily. File picture afp
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