In Pictures: Iraq prepares for Pope Francis' visit

Pope Francis is set to be in Iraq from March 5 to 8 with an ambitious programme that will take round the country.

On his first day in the Iraqi capital, Francis will give a speech at the "Our Lady of Salvation" Catholic Church in the main commercial district of Karrada.

Christians volunteers hold Iraqi and Vatican flags as they decorate streets ahead of the planned visit of Pope Francis, in Qaraqosh.

A member of the Iraqi forces stands next to a poster depicting an image of Pope Francis at the Syriac Catholic Church of Our Lady of Deliverance in the Karrada district of Iraq's capital Baghdad.

Iraqi security forces pass by Iraq and the Vatican flags and posters announcing visit of the Pope Francis in a street in Qaraqosh, Iraq.

Workers finalise preparations at Franso Hariri Stadium in Arbil ahead of Pope Francis' March visit to Iraq.

A view of the interior Chaldean Catholic Church of St. Joseph in Iraq's capital Baghdad, amidst preparations for Pope Francis' visit.

People fix a street destroyed during clashes against Daesh in Qaraqosh, Iraq. Iraq's Christians are hoping that a historic visit by Pope Francis in March will help boost their community's struggle to survive.

A view of the interior Chaldean Catholic Church of St. Joseph in Iraq's capital Baghdad, amidst preparations for Pope Francis' visit.

Men stand holding a poster by UNESCO welcoming Pope Francis at a cultural centre in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul ahead of the pontiff's visit later in the week.

In Mosul, the Pope will visit the Al-Tahera Church in the city's west, which was ravaged by Daesh and the fighting that eventually forced the jihadists out of the city.

Youths unfurl a poster welcoming Pope Francis above the rubble of a destroyed house next to the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception in the old city of Iraq's northern city of Mosul.

Volunteers stand holding posters welcoming Pope Francis in the ruins of the Syriac Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Father Nazeer Dako arranges a Vatican flag to welcome the Pope Francis in St. Joseph's Chaldean Church during preparations for the Pope's visit, in Baghdad, Iraq.

Posters welcoming Pope Francis being prepared at St. Joseph's Chaldean Church in preparation for the Pope's visit, in Baghdad, Iraq.

A freshly-printed poster being laid out at a print-shop, welcoming Pope Francis ahead of his visit to the country later in the week.

Workers print flyers of Pope Francis at a shop in Arbil ahead of the first-ever papal visit to Iraq.

Municipal workers rehabilitate the streets around St. Joseph's Chaldean Church during preparations for the Pope's visit, in Baghdad, Iraq.

A nun adds a coat of paint to the crucifix at the entrance of the Immaculate Mary Dominican Sisters Convent in the predominantly Christian town of Qaraqosh.

Members of a Christian choir rehearse ahead of Pope Francis' March visit in a room at the Chaldean Catholic Church of St. Joseph in Iraq's capital Baghdad.

A mural of Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani with a sentence in Arabic reads "You are a part of us and we are a part of you" is seen before the upcoming visit of the Pope to Iraq.

Roadside banners are erected welcoming Pope Francis in the predominantly Christian town of Qaraqosh. Iraq's northern province of Nineveh is the heartland of the country's Christian community.

Christians volunteers decorate streets with the pictures of Pope Francis in Qaraqosh.

Workers finalise preparations at Franso Hariri Stadium in Arbil ahead of Pope Francis' visit to Iraq.

Workers finalise preparations at Franso Hariri Stadium ahead of Pope Francis' visit to Iraq.