The passing of Pope Francis has stirred deep sorrow among Iraq’s Christian minority, who still cherish his landmark 2021 visit — a beacon of hope after years of suffering and fear.

That pilgrimage, the first by any pontiff to Iraq, came after thousands of Christians were uprooted by war and ISIS’s brutal rise. Once a vibrant community of over a million, Iraq’s Christians had dwindled due to decades of unrest.

In Mosul, where battles once raged, Chaldean Archbishop Najeeb Moussa Michaeel described the pope’s arrival as a rare moment of joy, calling it “like a wedding celebration.” He recalled the Holy Father standing in the rubble, delivering a message of peace with tears in his eyes.

Among the faithful was Sa’dullah Rassam, who had fled Mosul in 2014. Years later, he returned and lived beside the very church Francis visited. As the pope departed, Rassam watched tearfully — until the vehicle stopped and Francis stepped out to greet him. “It was the happiest moment of my life,” he recalled.

The visit inspired reconstruction across the city, reviving sacred sites and rekindling cultural pride. Archbishop Michaeel noted a renewed global interest in Mosul following the trip.

Pope Francis also strengthened Muslim-Christian ties, meeting Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf. The cleric’s office paid tribute, praising Francis as a global voice for peace and dignity.

“He was everyone’s pope,” said one admirer in Irbil, “loved for his humility, remembered for his embrace.”