Pope Francis has revealed that he narrowly escaped two assassination attempts during his historic visit to Iraq in March 2021. The shocking details were shared in excerpts from his forthcoming autobiography, Hope, set to be released globally in January 2025.
In his book, the Pope recounts the tense moments leading up to the visit, when the Vatican’s security team received a dire warning from British intelligence about threats to his life. The intelligence report revealed that two separate assassination attempts were being planned against the pontiff.
One of the assailants, a woman carrying explosives, was identified as a potential suicide bomber targeting the Pope’s visit. “A woman packed with explosives, a young suicide bomber, was heading towards Mosul to blow herself up during the papal visit,” Pope Francis explained. He also mentioned that a van, driven at high speed, was on its way with similar intentions. Both would-be attackers were intercepted and neutralized by Iraqi security forces before they could execute their plans.
Reflecting on the precarious nature of the trip, Pope Francis, who celebrated his 88th birthday recently, acknowledged that the risk to his life was high and many had strongly advised against the visit due to security concerns. Despite this, he felt a deep sense of duty and was determined to continue with the trip. “Almost everyone advised me against the trip to Iraq, but I wanted to get to the bottom of things. I felt I had to do it,” he wrote.
The three-day visit, which marked his first international trip in over a year and took place amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, was conducted under heavy security. Pope Francis traveled to key locations across Iraq, including Baghdad and Mosul, a city that had been under the control of ISIS until its liberation. His visit aimed to promote peace and interfaith dialogue in a region deeply scarred by years of conflict.
During such high-profile trips, the Pope’s security is coordinated by the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the Vatican Gendarmerie, in close collaboration with local authorities. Despite the looming danger, the Pope’s journey through Iraq was marked by a sense of courage and determination to engage with the Iraqi people, showing solidarity with a country that had faced immense challenges.
The Pope’s personal account of these life-threatening moments sheds light on the lengths he is willing to go in his mission for peace, even in the face of grave personal risk. The revelations also underscore the continued threats to global figures who advocate for peace and religious tolerance in volatile regions of the world.
