amanda fisher, thank _ pandemic to begin with. amanda fisher, thank you _ pandemic to begin with.to begin with. amanda fisher, thank you so much. - pope francis has met the influential shia muslim cleric, grand ayatollah ali al—sistani, during the first—ever papal visit to iraq. later, francis celebrated a public mass at stjoseph's cathedral in baghdad. 0ur rome correspondent mark lowen is travelling with the pope. peace in iraq will take time to flourish, but this visitor is determined to see it. along the narrow alleyways of najaf, and into a historic meeting of two faiths, catholic and shia islam. grand ayatollah ali al—sistani face—to—face with pope francis. at 90 and 84, it's taken long lives and generations to get here. the two religious leaders spoke of friendship to overcome oppression, rare unity after iraq's sectarian conflict. that theme of dialogue then spread further to the remains of ur, biblical birthplace of abraham. and in the shadow of its ancient citadel, pope francis met followers of other faiths. gestures of respect to those often sidelined, and victims of ira