The Semiotic Review Of Published Images Of The Pope’s Trip To Iraq

This study aims to identify the semiotics of the published images of the Pope’s trip to Iraq. The importance of this research is reflected in focusing on two variables, including the Pope’s trip to Iraq and the importance of this visit in the region. Iraq is one of the most important countries in the region and has political and climatic influences on the region. Moreover, this visit was Pope’s first visit and talk in Iraq. Hence, the visit is deemed highly important, because during it, the Pope called for peace and rapprochement of the heavenly religions and love among people. Therefore, this study aims to explore the semiotics of the images published of the Pope’s trip to Iraq and analyze these images to understand their goals and consequences. Moreover, the study intends to talk about the symbol of timing, humanitarian goals, and their benefits for both parties. Relying on a qualitative approach through semiotic analysis of published images and building on Roland Barthes’s semiotic theory, the researcher achieved the most important results، including: Pope’s visit to Iraq as an important economic initiation for this country and a motivation for investors to invest in this country. In addition، the Pope’s tourist trip has financial benefits for Iraq as a country of civilizations and its first source in the world. Additionally, with the Pope’s trip, officials can know about cultural heritage and reconsider the history of a country such as Iraq. And when the pope visited Mosul and spent the evening staying to save the churches in the city, the pope’s visit was an expression of his humility to the international media and civil society organizations. It is a human trait, as it has all the criteria of brotherhood, love, respect for one another, and the spread of interfaith peace. Besides، one of the most important symbols transferred through the dissemination of the images of the Vatican Pope’s trip is the strengthening of faith and the free performance of religious rites. Iraq is a country that respects and does not violate religious rights, even if it is a minority religion. In this regard, the Iraqi media are trying to convey to the world or those interested in the Pope’s trip to Iraq that the pop’s trip occurred within the health standards imposed by the World Health Organization, at a certain time after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the world. However، he was met with a warm welcome and respect for the other and for his religious and global status, and for him “al-saf”, which is the palm leaves, was raised to signify a warm welcome. In our Islamic verses, the palm leaf and lifting it to receive guests indicates the initiation of goodness and blessing.