Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (cabinet.gov.krd) - Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani attended the consecration ceremony of His Holiness Patriarch Gewargis Sliwa, the new Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, in Saint Yohana Church in Ainkawa-Erbil.

The ceremony was also attended by representative of His Holiness Pope Francis, representatives of the President of Iraq and Iraqi Prime Minister, and the Iraqi Council of Representatives.  Also attending, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, a number of ministers and members of the Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament, and officials of the Kurdistan Region. The ceremony also included representatives of diplomatic missions in the Kurdistan Region, and a number of religious figures and dignitaries of the Region.

His Holiness Patriarch Gewargis Sliwa spoke of the return of the Chair of Assyrian Church of the East to the Middle East at Erbil as an important and sacred event.

He highlighted the role played by the Kurdistan Region in protecting Christians and promoting religious and ethnic coexistence. He praised Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani and Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in protecting the rights of ethnic and religious communities in the Kurdistan Region.

His Holiness Patriarch Gewargis Sliwa stressed the need for cooperation and coordination among Christian churches, particularly at this moment.

He expressed his wish that security and prosperity will return to Iraq, and that religious, cultural and ethnic diversity will be protected.

Following a banquet lunch which was served in honor of His Holiness Patriarch Gewargis Sliwa in Saad Abdulla Hall in Erbil, the representative of His Holiness Pope Francis expressed his support and wish for success of the Assyrian Church of the East, and that it plays its role in returning peace to the region during these difficult times.

Erbil Governor Nawzad Hadi described the return of the Chair of Assyrian Church of the East to Erbil as a significant and historic event. He expressed his and the Governorate's full support to the Assyrian Church of the East.

Salahadin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (Krp.org)- President Masoud Barzani received a papal delegation today headed by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, the Special Envoy to His Holiness Pope Francis. During the meeting Cardinal Filoni extended the greetings of His Holiness Pope Francis to President Barzani and expressed his repeated gratitude to the Kurdistan Region for their efforts at assisting the Christian refugees.

President Barzani warmly welcomed the delegation and conveyed his personal greetings to His Holiness Pope Francis, adding that the Kurdistan Region takes pride in the fact that it has historically been a region of coexistence between people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds and that reality will remain a par of the values and principles of the Kurdistan Region.

Salahadin, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, (krp,org)- President Masoud Barzani received cardinal Fernando Feloni, the special envoy of His Holiness, Pope Francis. During the meeting President Barzani warmly welcomed the message of brotherhood and coexistence from His Holiness, Pope Francis and added that the position of the Kurdistan Region has always been clear, and that is, "we will all either live together with dignity." President Barzani also spoke of the extreme cruelty of the terrorists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS, adding that the Kurdistan Region will continue to fight this phenomenon until it ceases to exist.

President Barzani and Cardinal Feloni spoke of the number of IDPs in the Kurdistan Region which has now reached well over one million persons. Cardinal Feloni expressed the gratitude of His Holiness, Pope Francis, through a letter to President Barzani regarding the kindness displayed in handling the IDP crisis.

Rome, Italy (KRP.org) – Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani met with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday.

At the outset of the meeting, Pope Francis said that he was aware of the situation of Kurds and of their tragedies in the past. He commended President Barzani and the people of Kurdistan for what they have achieved, particularly in offering the Kurdistan Region as a safe haven for Syrian refugees and for Christians fleeing violence in other parts of Iraq.

The Pope also praised President Barzani for KRG’s policy of promoting tolerance and peaceful co-existence among different religious communities. He expressed his hope that the KRG would continue to enjoy peace and prosperity.

For his part, President Barzani talked about tolerance in Kurdistan as a long-standing tradition that has popular support. He said that peoples of different religions have made sacrifices together in the past and now live side by side in peace and freedom.

On the situation of refugees and Christians who have sought refuge in Kurdistan, President Barzani said that the KRG would continue to provide assistance to them as a humanitarian duty.