Vicar of Baghdad leaves Iraq

Canon Andrew White

The Anglican priest known as the ‘Vicar of Baghdad’ has left Iraq and won’t be returning in the immediate future because of the dangers there. Canon Andrew White, who is currently in Jerusalem, told Premier Christian Radio that his departure was on the advice of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, but his work there would continue.

“I’m really stupid…I have no concept of fear,” he told Premier’s Marcus Jones in an exclusive radio interview. “I’m not frightened of anything so I have to listen to people who are wiser and more sensible than me, like the Archbishop of Canterbury.

“He happens to be a very good and close friend of mine and he’s taking the right decision. There is no guarantee that I will be safe. There is no guarantee that Baghdad won’t fall. At the moment it is in the hands of the Iraqi government but, if it did fall and I was there, I would fall as well – or my head would.

“God often talks to us through other people and God is saying to me ‘get out you idiot’.”

Canon White admitted that he’ll miss the young people of Baghdad most of all. “I’m really going to miss my youth, my young people, my children. That’s what I’ll really be in tears about,” he said.

He confirmed that he plans to work in other parts of Iraq in due course.

Canon Andrew White, has been vicar of St George's Church, Baghdad, the only Anglican church in Iraq since 2005. He is also President of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East. He has multiple sclerosis, but for several years has been undergoing a new stem cell treatment that utilizes his body's own stem cells and he has said, "It had completely transformed my life." He is married with two children.

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