The pope and his friends were born in distant lands and came from very different cultures and faiths, but still they are very kind to one another.

It is also very important to note that different parties and people of different religious backgrounds were eager to welcome the pope. The visit came only a few years after the end of a war in which killings prevailed. When Francis decided to make this pilgrimage, he said to himself and his aides: It was possible and would come true.

Hard work to prepare for the historic visit finally paid off. But there were different opinions about whether to let the pope come in. Some were very afraid the pope’s life would be in danger as there were groups who might plan to attack him. But near the end, they said to one another: We trust God. He will bless our good will and strengthen our friendship.

Francis and his friends believe they were, are and will always be friends and brothers and sisters because they are faithful to God.

Enmity because of different political, economic and cultural points of view is very often difficult to address. But something must be done to build peace anew. And nothing is impossible when everybody trusts the same God, who created, binds and blesses us all. Animosity, on the other hand, easily spreads when we act against each other in the name of the same God.

What will be the results of those trust-building efforts? There were very beautiful dialogues and meetings during the pope’s four-day trip to Iraq.

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