Pope Francis narrowly escaped two assassination attempts during his historic trip to Iraq in March 2021, according to excerpts from his forthcoming autobiography, Hope.
The excerpts, published by Italian media outlet Corriere della Sera, detail the harrowing events surrounding the pontiff’s visit to the country.
The Vatican’s security team was alerted to the threats by British intelligence services, who warned that a woman armed with explosives and a young suicide bomber were heading towards Mosul with plans to detonate during the papal visit.
A second attempt involved a van speeding toward the Pope with the same intent. Both attackers were intercepted and killed by Iraqi police forces.
The trip, which took place amid intense security during the global Covid-19 pandemic, was the Pope’s first international visit in over a year.
Despite significant risks to his life, Francis, who turned 88 on Tuesday, was determined to make the journey.
“Almost everyone advised me against it,” he wrote. “But I wanted to get to the bottom of things. I felt I had to do it.”
The visit spanned three days and included visits to Baghdad and Mosul, a former stronghold of the Islamic State.
His security was managed by the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the Vatican Gendarmerie, working closely with local Iraqi law enforcement.
The Pope’s upcoming autobiography, Hope, will be released in January and is expected to provide more insights into his thoughts and experiences during the pivotal trip.