NAJAF, Iraq (AP) – Pope Francis met with great Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of the oldest clerics in Shiite Islam, in the holy city of Najaf in Iraq on Saturday to deliver a joint message of peaceful coexistence, urging Muslims to uphold Iraq’s long-hindered Christian minority.
The closed-door meeting focused on issues plaguing the Christian minority in Iraq. Al-Sistani is a revered figure in Iraq of the Shiite majority and his Shiites worldwide seek his views on religious and other issues.
For Iraq’s dwindling Christian minority, a show of solidarity by al-Sistani could help secure their place in Iraq after years of displacement – and, they hope, facilitate the intimidation of Shiite civilians against their community.
The historic meeting in Al-Sistani’s humble home was months in the making, with every detail carefully discussed and negotiated between the office of the Ayatollah and the Vatican.
When the time came, the 84-year-old pope’s convoy, led by a bulletproof vehicle, pulled up along Najaf’s narrow and column – rich Rasool Street, leading to the golden dome of Imam Ali Shrine, one of the most revered sites in world for Shiites. Then he walked the few meters to the modest house of Al-Sistani, which the clergy had been renting for decades.
A group of Iraqis wearing traditional clothing welcomed him outside. When a masked Francis entered the door, some white doves were released in a sign of peace. He stepped forward just an hour later and was still limping due to an apparent flare-up of nerve pain making 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 al-Sistani, who normally sits in front of visitors, stands to greet Francis at the door of his room, a rare honor. Al-Sistani and Francis sat close together without masks, with their hands on their laps. A table was between them with a box of tissues on it.
The official said there was some concern that the pope had met with so many people the previous day. Francis received the coronavirus vaccine, but al-Sistani did not.
The visit was broadcast live on Iraqi television and residents cheered on the meeting of two respected religious leaders.
“We welcome the pope’s visit to Iraq and especially the holy city of Najaf and his encounter with the great Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani,” said Haidar Al-Ilyawi, a resident of Najaf. “This is a historic visit and I hope it will be good for Iraq and the Iraqi people.”
Francis arrived in Iraq on Friday and met with senior government officials during the very first papal visit to the country, aimed at advancing his call for greater brotherhood among all peoples. It is also his first international trip since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and his meeting on Saturday was the first time a pope had met a major ayatollah.
According to the governor of the province, nearly 25,000 security forces were deployed in Najaf before the arrival of the pope. Rasool Street was emptied of its usual hustle and bustle to clear the way for the pope’s arrival. As soon as his freeway is gone, a swarm of people rushes to the street and fills it again to see him.
On the few occasions he has made his views known, the infamous withdrawn al-Sistani has changed the course of modern Iraqi history.
In the years following the US-led invasion in 2003, he repeatedly preached calm and self-control when the Shiite majority was attacked by al-Qaida and other Sunni extremists. The country was nevertheless plunged into years of sectarian violence.
His 2014 fatwa, or religious order, calling on poor men to join the security forces to fight the Islamic State group, has fueled the ranks of Shiite militias, very closely linked to Iran. In 2019, when anti-government demonstrations seized the country, his sermon led to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi.
Iraqis welcomed the visit and the international attention it has given to the country as it struggles to recover from decades of war and unrest. Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State in 2017, but still sees sporadic attacks.
It has also seen recent rocket attacks by Iranian – backed militias against US military and diplomatic facilities, followed by US airstrikes on military targets in Iraq and neighboring Syria. The violence is linked to the rift between the US and Iran following Washington’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and the imposition of crippling sanctions against Iran.
Francis’ visit to Najaf and nearby Ur is traversed by provinces that have seen recent instability. In Nasiriyah, where the Plains of Ur are located, protest violence left at least five dead last month. Most were killed when Iraqi security forces used live ammunition to disperse crowds.
Protest violence was also seen in Najaf last year, but has diminished as the massive anti-government movement that has engulfed Iraq is gradually depleted.
A heavy security presence also awaited Francis in Ur, where the pope would chair an interfaith meeting later Saturday. Ur, with its ancient ziggurat, is the traditional birthplace of Abraham, a prophet who is 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.