Pope to Visit Holy Land

Pope Francis is planning to visit the Holy Land, making his first trip to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Amman on May 24, the Pope said on Sunday before crowds gathered in St.Peter’s Square for the Angelus Prayer.

“In the climate of joy typical of this Christmas period, I would like to announce that from May 24 to 26, God willing, I will carry out a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.” the Pope said.

Aljazeera.net reported the pontiff said that the day of the announcement, January 5, is significant as it commemorates the historic meeting of John Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople that happened 50 years ago. The said meeting in 1964 in Jerusalem led to the rescinding of excommunications that caused schisms between the churches of the East and West.

The Pope said that on his visit, he will hold an ecumenical meeting with all of the representatives of the Christian Churches in Jerusalem that would be held in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in East Jerusalem. The said place was venerated as the burial place of Jesus Christ.

The prelate has made many appeals for peace in the Middle East, where, in his meeting with Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas, he called for a just and lasting solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

Israel President Shimon Perez and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas both invited the 77-year old pontiff to visit the Holy Land.

Israel daily newspapers has reported that Israel Authorities were unhappy with the Pope’s short visit and the pontiff celebrating mass not in Israel but in the West Bank,a Palestinian territory.

Source: Aljazeera.net