It was reported that President Nabih Berri sent a message from the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Paul Richard Gallagher, regarding the visit, while Archyde.com reported that the Vatican is studying the possibility of a meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill in Jerusalem next June, and that the Vatican is studying the possibility of extending the Pope’s visit To Lebanon, allowing the Pope to travel to Jerusalem to meet Patriarch Kirill.
And journalist Philip Boutella of the British News Agency wrote, quoting two reliable sources, as well as not revealing their identities, that the Pope’s plan is to visit Lebanon on June 12 and 13, and then travel to the Jordanian capital, Amman, on the morning of June 14. After that, he will be transferred by helicopter to meet the head of the Orthodox Church. While one of the sources confirmed the visit, the second source considered it possible and not confirmed.
A source close to Bkerke said that “preparations for the visit have started and Bishop Michel Aoun, head of the Executive Committee of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops, has been assigned, and he represents the Catholic Church in the national committee that will be formed by President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, which will take care of preparing the visit,” noting that the visit’s program needs For some time to crystallize, the committee will prepare a preliminary program that will be sent to the Vatican for approval.
