Pope's Brush with Danger: Revealing Untold Stories

Pope Francis, on his 88th birthday, disclosed he narrowly escaped a suicide bombing attempt during a 2021 visit to Iraq, as revealed in excerpts from his upcoming autobiography. Written with Italian author Carlo Musso, the book details the thwarted attack during his historic trip despite intense security risks.

Pope Francis celebrated his 88th birthday with a bombshell revelation: a foiled suicide bombing plot during his 2021 visit to Iraq. This alarming detail emerges from his upcoming autobiography, 'Hope,' co-authored with Carlo Musso. The book is set to be released in over 80 countries next month.

The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera published excerpts on Tuesday, coinciding with Pope Francis' birthday. The excerpts reminisce about his historic visit to Iraq in March 2021 amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and security fears heightened in Mosul, once an ISIS stronghold.

According to British intelligence, a female bomber and a truck intended to target the papal visit. Iraqi police successfully intercepted these threats, preserving the trip's significance. In his book, Francis reflects on this danger as 'the poisonous fruit of war,' ahead of its Holy Year release this Christmas Eve.

(With inputs from agencies.)