Pope Francis remarked that “it is not possible to imagine Iraq without Christians,” as he met on February 28 with a delegation of Church leaders from Iraq, marking the anniversary of the papal visit to their country.

The Pope spoke of Iraq as one of the “lands of beginnings”—a place where ancient civilizations were born, and where the Gospel was first preached. Acknowledging that today the Christian population is and imperiled minority, the Pope said: “To engage in dialogue is the best antidote to extremism.”