Leaders in the Kurdistan Region on Thursday congratulated His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election as the pastoral leader of the Catholic Church worldwide.
“May his papacy be marked by peace, interfaith dialogue, and reconciliation,” Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani posted on X.
Furthermore, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani also extended his congratulations to the new Pope.
On behalf of the Kurdistan Regional Government, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election as the pastoral leader of the Catholic Church worldwide.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) May 8, 2025
May his papacy be marked by peace, interfaith dialogue, and reconciliation -mb.
“I am encouraged by His Holiness’s message of peace, compassion, and justice,” President Nechirvan Barzani posted on X. “I also pay tribute to the profound legacy of the late Pope Francis.
“The Kurdistan Region remains firmly committed to coexistence and interfaith harmony.”
The Vatican announced today that the Conclave has elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Bishop of Rome. He is the first American Pope.
The Kurdistan Region has a strong and deep relationship with the Vatican.
In February 2020, Prime Minister Barzani visited the Vatican and presented the late Pope Francis with the picture of a peshmerga fighter restoring the cross in the town of Bashiqa after it was liberated from ISIS.
Later, in March 2021, Pope Francis made a historical visit to the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, where he met with senior Kurdish officials and led a prayer at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil attended by many members of the local Christian community.
On behalf of the Kurdistan Region, I extend my warmest congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election as the new leader of the Catholic Church. I am encouraged by His Holiness’s message of peace, compassion, and justice.
— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) May 8, 2025
I also pay tribute to the profound legacy of…
Read More: Kurdish Leaders Pay Their Respects to Pope Francis
After Pope Francis’s passing, Kurdish leaders paid their respects in condolence messages, and prayers were held for the Pope at the first Kurdistan National Prayer Breakfast on April 25,.
“In my meetings with His Holiness in Erbil and Rome, I came to know him for his commitment to peace and understanding. We all mourn his passing and pray that his legacy inspires unity among all peoples of the world,” Prime Minister Barzani said at the event.
