IRAQ: Archbishop visits troops, Abraham’s Oasis
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the Roman Catholic archbishop for military services, has completed a Holy Week visit to U.S. troops in Iraq. Broglio traveled to the base at Al Asad, where he conducted Mass and met with troops.
He also visited Abraham’s Oasis, a spot with trees and a pond where the prophet Abraham is said to have camped while on the journey detailed in the Book of Genesis. Things have changed since Abraham’s day.
Where once the site was in the middle of an unoccupied desert, now the headquarters of the Iraqi army’s 7th Division is across the street.
On base, Broglio was safe. But when he toured surrounding villages, U.S. officials insisted that he wear a ballistic vest over his clerical garb, and he traveled in the military’s most blast-proof vehicle.
-- Tony Perry in San Diego