Shafaq News / The Civil Defense Directorate in Baghdad announced, on Tuesday, that the Syriac Catholic Cathedral “Our Lady of Deliverance” and the Chaldean cathedral Mar Yousef (St Joseph) are completely sterilized in preparation for the Pope's visit to Iraq.

The directorate added that "the sterilization solutions used to disinfect the two churches are internationally approved, safe, and eco-friendly…they are also in accordance with WHO instructions, to limit the spread of coronavirus."

"The two churches will remain closed until the Pope’s arrival” the directorate said.

In December 2020, The Vatican announces that Pope Francis will make an Apostolic Journey to Iraq on 5-8 March 2021, visiting Baghdad, the plain of Ur, Mosul, and Qaraqosh.

This will be the first-ever visit by a pope to Iraq.

Pope Francis has long expressed his desire to visit Iraq.