NAJAF, Iraq (AP) – Pope Francis met on Saturday with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of the oldest clerics of Shiite Islam, in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq, to deliver a joint message of peaceful coexistence, urging Muslims to embrace Iraq beleaguered Christian minority.
The closed-door meeting was to address issues that plague Iraq’s Christian minority. Al-Sistani is a deeply revered figure in Iraq with a Shiite majority and his views on religious and other issues are sought by Shiites around the world.
For the shrinking Christian minority in Iraq, a demonstration of al-Sistani’s solidarity could help secure his place in Iraq after years of displacement – and, they hope, lessen the intimidation of Shiite militiamen against his community.
The historic meeting at al-Sistani’s humble home took months to be held, with every detail meticulously discussed and negotiated between the ayatollah’s office and the Vatican.
When the time came, the 84-year-old Pontiff’s train, led by a bulletproof vehicle, stopped along the narrow, columned Rasool street of Najaf, which culminates in the golden dome of the Imam Ali Shrine, one of the most revered places in the world for Shiites. He then walked a few meters to al-Sistani’s modest home, which the clergyman rented for decades.
A group of Iraqis wearing traditional clothing welcomed him outside. When a masked Francisco entered the door, a few white doves were released in a sign of peace. He emerged just under an hour later, still limping heavily because of an apparent outbreak of sciatica nerve pain that makes walking difficult.
The “very positive” meeting lasted a total of 40 minutes, said a religious official in Najaf, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to inform the media.
The official said that al-Sistani, who usually sits to receive visitors, stood up to greet Francisco at his bedroom door, a rare honor. Al-Sistani and Francis sat next to each other, without masks, with their hands in their laps. A small table was between them with a box of tissues.
The official said there was some concern that the pope had met with so many people the day before. Francis received the coronavirus vaccine, but al-Sistani did not.
The visit was being broadcast live on Iraqi television, and residents applauded the meeting of two respected religious leaders.
“We welcome the pope’s visit to Iraq and especially the holy city of Najaf and his meeting with the Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani,” said Najaf resident Haidar Al-Ilyawi. “It is a historic visit and I hope it will be good for Iraq and the Iraqi people.”
Francisco arrived in Iraq on Friday and met senior government officials on his first papal visit to the country, with the aim of promoting his call for greater brotherhood among all peoples. It is also his first international trip since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and his meeting on Saturday marked the first time that a pope has encountered a great ayatollah.
Nearly 25,000 security forces were deployed in Najaf prior to the pope’s arrival, according to the provincial governor. Rasool Street was emptied of its usual bustle to make way for the pope’s arrival. As soon as his procession left, a swarm of people ran out into the street, filling it again to say goodbye to him.
On the few occasions when he gave his opinion, the notoriously reclusive al-Sistani changed the course of modern Iraqi history.
In the years following the 2003 US-led invasion, he repeatedly preached calm and restraint while the Shiite majority was attacked by al Qaeda and other Sunni extremists. Even so, the country has plunged into years of sectarian violence.
His 2014 fatwa, or religious edict, summoning healthy men to join security forces in fighting the Islamic State group increased the ranks of Shi’ite militias, many of them closely linked to Iran. In 2019, as anti-government demonstrations took over On account of the country, his sermon led to the resignation of then Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi.
Iraqis have welcomed the visit and the international attention it has given the country as it struggles to recover from decades of war and unrest. Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State group in 2017, but still sees sporadic attacks.
It also witnessed recent Iranian-backed militia rocket attacks on U.S. military and diplomatic facilities, followed by U.S. air strikes against militia targets in Iraq and neighboring Syria. The violence is linked to the stalemate between the U.S. and Iran after Washington’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and its imposition of paralyzing sanctions on Iran.
Francisco’s visit to Najaf and around Ur crosses provinces that have experienced recent instability. In Nasiriyah, where the Plains of Ur are located, protest violence has left at least five dead in the past month. Most were killed when Iraqi security forces used live ammunition to disperse the crowds.
Protest violence was also seen in Najaf last year, but has subsided as the mass movement against the government that engulfed Iraq gradually died out.
A strong security presence was also awaiting Francisco in Ur, where the pope would preside over an interfaith meeting on Saturday. Ur, with its ancient ziggurat, is the traditional birthplace of Abraham, a prophet common to Christians, Muslims and Jews.
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Winfield reported from Ur, Iraq. Associated Press writers Samya Kullab and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed.