Despite the region’s relevance to Christianity, the pontiff’s Iraq trip from March 5 to March 8, 2021, was considered risky because of the persisting COVID-19 pandemic and instances of violence throughout the battle-scarred country. “Almost everyone advised me against that trip,” Francis reportedly wrote in “Hope.”

In an excerpt from his forthcoming autobiography, Francis said two suicide bombers had been planning to attack one of his events in Mosul.

Two attempted attacks on Pope Francis, including one by a suicide bomber, were foiled during his landmark trip to Iraq in 2021, the pontiff has revealed in an autobiography.

Pope Francis revealed an attempt on his life was foiled during his historic trip to Iraq, according to reports, reflecting on the event in his upcoming memoir.

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis turned 88 on Tuesday and marked the occasion with revelations that he almost didn’t make it. According to excerpts of his upcoming autobiography, suicide bombers had planned to attack him during his 2021 visit to Iraq, but were killed before striking.

According to Pope Francis, a bid to kill him during a 2021 visit to Iraq was foiled following a tip from British intelligence.

Pope Francis assassination plot in Iraq foiled after British intelligence tip-off - Two suicide bombers had planned to target Pontiff on 2021 visit to Iraq

In a new autobiography, Pope Francis revealed that he escaped two assassination attempts during his visit to Iraq in March 2021, including one involving a young woman who was believed to be attempting a suicide bombing.

Security forces thwarted a pair of assassination attempts against Pope Francis — including a suicide bomber — during his March 2021 visit to Iraq, the pontiff shared in his new memoir.

Pope Francis has revealed he was the target of an attempted suicide bombing during his visit to Iraq three years ago, the first by a Catholic pontiff to the country and probably the riskiest foreign trip of his 11-year papacy.

Pilgrims lined up early Wednesday to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica, as Christmas marked the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration that is expected to bring some 32 million Catholic faithful to Rome.