VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has disclosed that he was the target of an attempted suicide bombing during his historic visit to Iraq in March 2021. The revelation, detailed in an excerpt from his upcoming autobiography Hope set for release on January 14, was published on December 17 by the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
Pope Francis, the first Catholic pontiff to visit Iraq and undertaking perhaps the most dangerous trip of his papacy, was informed upon landing in Baghdad that two known suicide bombers planned attacks during his visit. According to the Pope, “A woman packed with explosives, a young kamikaze, was heading to Mosul to blow herself up during the papal visit. And a van had also set off at full speed with the same intent.”
The Pope’s stop in Mosul was a highlight of the trip. Once under the control of the Islamic State from 2014 to 2017, Mosul was devastated during that period. Pope Francis visited the ruins of four churches and made a powerful plea for peace and reconciliation.
The Vatican has kept security details of the 2021 visit tightly guarded, especially since it occurred as Covid-19 restrictions were first easing. However, the Pope now reveals that British intelligence alerted the Vatican to the threat, leading Iraqi police to intercept the attackers. “The commander replied laconically: ‘They are no more,’” Pope Francis wrote, indicating the bombers had been neutralized.
Iraq’s government reportedly deployed thousands of security personnel to protect the Pope during the trip. At the time, Vatican officials provided little insight into the precautions taken.
The full account of this harrowing moment is expected to be included in Hope, adding new context to one of the Pope’s boldest undertakings. This marks the latest in a series of memoirs, following a publication earlier this March. The Vatican has yet to comment further on the new revelation.