Welcome Pope Francis, Iraqi Shiite Leader: Christians In Iraq Have The Right To Live In Security And Peace

Pope Francis in Iraq (Twitter / @ VaticanNews)

JAKARTA - World Church Leader Pope Francis met with Iraqi Shia Muslim Leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Saturday, February 6 local time.

The 45-minute meeting in the Holy City of Najaf is the history of a Pope meeting with prominent Shia Muslim figures. The meeting is believed to symbolize the desire for inter-religious coexistence.

During the meeting, which was broadcast on al-Iraqiya Television, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani thanked Pope Francis for trying to make the trip to Najaf.

"Christians in Iraq should live like all Iraqis in security and peace and with their full constitutional rights," Ali al-Sistani said in a statement issued by his office.

After meeting with Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Pope Francis visited the birthplace of Prophet Abraham or Prophet Abraham, a prophet who is highly respected by Muslims, Christians and Jews in Ur.

"From this place, where faith was born, from the land of our father Abraham, let us emphasize that God is merciful and that the greatest blasphemy is to defame His name by hating our brothers and sisters," Pope Francis said.

From the tomb of Abraham / Abraham, Pope Francis praises young Muslims for helping Christians repair their churches, which have been damaged by terrorist attacks.

The pope, who began his four-day visit to Iraq in Baghdad on Friday, is expected to hold Mass on Saturday evening at the Kaldea Cathedral of Saint Joseph in the capital.

On Sunday he traveled north to Mosul, a former ISIS stronghold, where the church and other buildings there still harbor traces of conflict.