The statement also recalled the historic 2021 meeting between the two religious leaders in the Iraqi city of Najaf. [Sistani’s office]
Iraqi and Kurdish leaders, senior clerics, and Christian communities have paid tribute to Pope Francis following the announcement of his death on Monday, praising his global role in promoting peace, religious tolerance and solidarity with the oppressed.
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s most senior Shia religious authority, expressed his condolences in a statement on Monday. He described the late pope as enjoying “a high spiritual status among many peoples of the world” and said he was held in “great respect globally”.
“The late Pope Francis played a distinguished role in advocating for peace and coexistence, and stood in solidarity with the oppressed and persecuted across the globe,” the statement read.
The statement also recalled the historic 2021 meeting between the two religious leaders in the Iraqi city of Najaf. Sistani said the encounter was “a moment of great significance” and had underlined the importance of faith and shared values in overcoming global challenges.
“The Supreme Religious Authority offers its condolences to followers of the Catholic Church and prays for patience and solace for them, and that God may bless humanity with goodness, mercy and peace,” the message concluded.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said on social media that Pope Francis’s life had been devoted to “serving humanity, fostering unity among peoples, and upholding peace and the highest moral and social values”.
“We recall with reverence his historic visit to Iraq four years ago and his meeting with Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in Najaf—an event that laid a meaningful foundation for interfaith dialogue and promoted fraternity and compassion among people of all faiths,” Mr Sudani said.
In Sulaimaniyah, Father Jens Petzold, Head of Deir Maryam al-Adhra (Virgin Mary Monastery) in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, said the pontiff’s passing was “a big loss for the world and for the Catholic Church”.
Speaking to The New Arab at Virgin Mary Monastery, he said: “We lost an important voice for peace. I have great trust that the Catholic Church will choose its next leader wisely.”
Petzold described Pope Francis’s 2021 visit to Iraq as “very important for all Christians, whether Catholic or from other denominations”, and a demonstration of “deep solidarity” with Christian communities in the region.
A condolence and prayer ceremony was held at the Parish of Saint Joseph in Sulaimaniyah on Monday, with further ceremonies expected in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region in the coming days.
While recognising Pope Francis’s vocal support for peace in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon, Fr Petzold said the Catholic Church’s peace efforts would continue.
“Every pope has his own style, and while we will have to wait to see the approach of the new pope, there is no doubt that the Catholic Church will continue to stand for peace – not only in the Middle East, but also in Africa, Asia and Latin America,” he said.
Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, called the pope “a man of great humility, compassion and moral courage”.
“His legacy will forever resonate as a beacon of hope, peace and human dignity for generations to come,” he said.
Masrour Barzani, the Kurdish Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), also expressed his sorrow, writing: “In my meetings with Pope Francis in Rome, and when he came to Erbil in 2021, I came to know him for his commitment to peace and understanding.”
The Catholic leader survived an attempted assassination in plot Iraq in 2021 and walked among the ruins of churches destroyed by the Islamic State.
Meanwhile, an online campaign has gained traction in Iraq supporting Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq and worldwide, as a possible successor to Pope Francis.
As the Catholic Church prepares for the conclave to elect his successor, communities in Iraq and beyond will carry forward Pope Francis’s message of compassion and interfaith solidarity. His legacy of dialogue and peace will continue to shape efforts towards harmony in the Middle East and around the world.
