Source: Politics<\/p>\n
QARAQOSH, Iraq \u2014 Pope Francis urged Iraq\u2019s Christians on Sunday to forgive the injustices against them by Muslim extremists and to rebuild as he visited the wrecked shells of churches and met ecstatic crowds in the community\u2019s historic heartland, which was nearly erased by the Islamic State group\u2019s horrific reign.<\/p>\n
At each stop in northern Iraq, the remnants of its Christian population turned out, jubilant, ululating and decked out in colorful dress. Heavy security prevented Francis from plunging into the crowd as he would normally. Nonetheless, they simply seemed overjoyed that he had come and that they had not been forgotten.<\/p>\n
It was a sign of the desperation for support among an ancient community uncertain whether it can hold on. The traditionally Christian towns dotting the Nineveh Plains of the north emptied out in 2014 as Christians \u2014 as well as many Muslims \u2014 fled the Islamic State group\u2019s onslaught. Only a few have returned to their homes since the defeat of IS in Iraq was declared four years ago, and the rest remain scattered elsewhere in Iraq or abroad.<\/p>\n
Bells rang out in the town of Qaraqosh as the pope arrived. Speaking to a packed Church of the Immaculate Conception, Francis said \u201cforgiveness\u201d is a key word for Christians.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe road to a full recovery may still be long, but I ask you, please, not to grow discouraged. What is needed is the ability to forgive, but also the courage not to give up.\u201d The Qaraqosh church has been extensively renovated after being vandalized by IS militants during their takeover of the town, making it a symbol of recovery efforts<\/a>.<\/p>\n Iraq\u2019s Christian population, which has existed here since the time of Christ, has dwindled from around 1.5 million before the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that plunged the country into chaos to just a few hundred thousand today.<\/p>\n Francis\u2019s visit to Iraq, which was on its last day Sunday, aimed to encourage them to stay, rebuild and restore what he called Iraq\u2019s \u201cintricately designed carpet\u201d of faiths and ethnic groups.<\/p>\n Dressed in white, Francis took to a red carpeted stage in the north\u2019s main city, Mosul, his first stop of the day, surrounded by the grey hollowed-out shells of four churches nearly destroyed in the war to oust IS fighters from the city.<\/p>\n It was a scene that would have been unimaginable years earlier. Mosul, Iraq\u2019s second largest city, was at the heart of the IS so-called \u201ccaliphate\u201d and witnessed the worst of the group\u2019s rule inflicted on Muslims, Christians and others, including beheadings and mass killings.<\/p>\n \u201cHow cruel it is that this country, the cradle of civilization, should have been afflicted by so barbarous a blow,\u201d Francis said, \u201cwith ancient places of worship destroyed and many thousands of people \u2013 Muslims, Christians, Yazidis \u2014 who were cruelly annihilated by terrorism and others forcibly displaced or killed.\u201d<\/p>\n He deviated from his prepared speech to emphasize the plight of Iraq\u2019s Yazidi minority, which was subjected to mass killings, abductions and sexual slavery at the hands of IS.<\/p>\n \u201cToday, however, we reaffirm our conviction that fraternity is more durable than fratricide, that hope is more powerful than hatred, that peace more powerful than war.\u201d<\/p>\n The square where he spoke is home to four different churches \u2014 Syriac Catholic, Armenian-Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Chaldean \u2014 each left in ruins.<\/p>\n IS inflicted atrocities against all communities, including Muslims, during its three-year rule across much of northern and western Iraq. But the Christian minority was hit especially hard. The militants forced them to choose among conversion, death or the payment of a special tax for non-Muslims. Thousands fled, leaving homes and churches that were destroyed or commandeered by the extremists.<\/p>\n