For what it's worth - you never know:
Iraqi state newspaper says
Pope coming to Iraq soon to visit
Abraham's birthplace in Ur
Translated from
The Pope to visit 'Abraham's dwelling' in Ur?
According to the state newspaper of Iraq, Al Sabah, it's a done deal and can even happen soon.
"Pope Benedict XVI will arrive in Iraq soon to visit 'Abraham's dwelling' in the archeological site of Ur, in the province of Di Qar," it reports on Page 1 today.
It cites its source as the president of the regional council of the governatorate of Dhi Qar, Qusai al-Abbadi, returning from a visit to Italy last week.
Al Abbadi reportedly told the newspaper yesteerday that during a visit to the Vatican, he reiterated an invitation of the council that had previously been sent, and that he was told by a ranking Vatican official that "The Holy Father has accepted the invitation and will visit Dhi Qar in the near future".
Ur, the ancient capital of Sumeria, existed 2100 years before Christ. The site is barely 10 kilometers away from Nasiriyah [where the Italian military mission to Iraq was based, and about a dozen Italian soldiers killed in a 2004 terrorist attack], an archeological area called 'Old Babylon'.
Indulge me...I went to Al-Sabah online - it's in Arabic but it has the automatic translation feature, so I did locate the item on the Pope on Page 1- It was the last in a series of 10 Page 1 stories, and whether it comes to pass at all, I thought it would make an interesting image to share - Here's Page 1, the item (or the start of it) and the automatic translation:
10/22/09
P.S.
So APCOM asked Fr. Lombardi, and reported simply:
The news of a visit by the Pope to Iraq is unfounded, according to Fr. Federico Lombardi, Vatican press office director.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 23/10/2009 14:23]