Praying with Mary

A 12-year-old Muslim girl used to visit the Sacred Heart church in Basra, Iraq. She just prays in front of the image of the Blessed Mother, the image of Our Lady of Lourdes. She would always light a candle, kisses the statue and leaves quietly. When the Bishop Atanasios Firas Dardar, the Patriarch Vicar of the Syrian Catholics of Basra found out about her, he wanted to meet her in person. Her name was Sarah, and to earn some money, she would sell plastic bags. She told the Bishop ‘I don’t know who the Lady in the statue is – but she never leaves me empty-handed.’ Many are the Muslims who pray to Mary. And after the visit Pope Francis made to Iraq in March 2021, this devotion became even more popular.