Pope Considering Lebanon Visit
(February 08, 2012) The director of the Vatican press office says that a possible papal trip to Lebanon is under consideration, but that nothing is confirmed yet. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, and Director of Vatican Radio clarified that "it is true that such a visit is being considered, and the Pope wants to make the trip in connection with the publication of the post-synodal exhortation from the special synod on the Middle East." However, "there is not yet any official statement on the matter," Father Lombardi added. The SIR news agency of the Italian Bishops’ Conference reported Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal, saying on February 2nd that the Pope would visit Lebanon to deliver the post-synodal apostolic exhortation of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East held in the Vatican in October 2010. The theme the bishops discussed was: "The Catholic Church in the Middle East: communion and testimony..." Pope Benedict has expressed increasing concern about the plight of Christians in the Muslim-dominated Middle East. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati invited the pope during a November audience in the Vatican.
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