Pope Francis starts a historic trip to war-battered Iraq today, defying security fears and the pandemic to comfort one of the world's oldest and most persecuted Christian communities.
The 84-year-old says he is making the first-ever papal visit to Iraq as a "pilgrim of peace".

During his four-day visit, the 84-year-old Pope will reach out to Shiite Muslims when he meets Iraq's top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.

Security will be tight in Iraq, thousands of security forces spread around the Country to protect him.