July 03, 2012: Pope Benedict XVI will make a 3-days pastoral visit to from 14 to
16 September, the Vatican announced on Tuesday. It said the Pope will visit the Basilica
of St Paul in Harissa, and also sign the exhortation of the Post-Apostolic Synod special
Assembly for the middle East on his first day.
On September 15, the Pontiff
will pay a courtesy visit to the President of the Republic. He will also have private
meeting with the President of the Republic, President of the Parliament, and the President
of the Council of Ministers in the Hall of the Ambassadors of the Presidential Palace
in Baabda.
The Pope will then meet the heads of Muslim religious communities
in the Hall of the Ambassadors of the Presidential Palace in Baabda. Late he will
meet with members of the government, the diplomatic corps, the head of religious and
representatives of the world culture.
The Pontiff will lunch with the Patriarchs
and Bishops of Lebanon, with members of the Council Special to the Middle East of
the Synod of Bishops and Papal Entourage in the Refectory of the Armenian Catholic
Patriarchate Bzommar.
In the evening the Pope will meeting with Youth in the
square in front of the Maronite Patriarchate. On Sunday, September 16, the Pontiff
will celebrate Holy Mass and deliver his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation for the
Middle East in Beirut City. Later he will attend an Ecumenical meeting in honor of
the Syrian Catholic Patriarchate of Charfet and leave for Rome.