Pope Francis has revealed that he survived two assassination attempts during his historic visit to Iraq in March 2021.
The details were shared in excerpts from his upcoming autobiography, Hope, published by Italian media on Tuesday.
According to the pope, his Vatican security team received urgent warnings from British secret services before the trip. He wrote, “A woman packed with explosives, a young suicide bomber, was heading towards Mosul to blow herself up during the papal visit,” adding that a van with the same deadly intention was also on its way.
Both attackers were stopped and killed by Iraqi police before they could carry out their plans.
The pope, who turned 88 on Tuesday, shared that many people had advised against the trip due to the risks involved. “Almost everyone advised me against it,” he said. “But I wanted to get to the bottom of things. I felt I had to do it.”
The visit, which lasted three days, took place in the midst of intense security, during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It was Pope Francis’s first international trip in 15 months, and he traveled across the country, including Baghdad and Mosul, once controlled by the Islamic State group.
During his travels, Pope Francis’s security was provided by the Pontifical Swiss Guard, the Vatican Gendarmerie, and local law enforcement. Despite the high risks, the pope remained committed to making the trip, which was seen as an important symbol of peace and unity.
Hope will be released in January 2025 in over 80 countries.
