The Middle East awaits Pope, messenger of peace, says Archbishop of Beirut

July 31, 2012: Preparations are underway in Beirut for Pope Benedict’s apostolic visit to Lebanon, which is just 6 weeks away. The Pontiff will travel to the country from September 14-16, and deliver the Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation for the Middle East Synod.

‘All the Lebanese people, Christians and Muslims, is happy to receive the Holy Father and we are preparing for this big event. They love the Pope and still remember the last visit of John Paul II in 1997!’ said Paul Boulos Matar, the Maronite Archbishop of Beirut, in an interview to Vatican Radio on Monday.

‘Everyone here is worried about what is happening in the Middle East and would like to have the hope that solutions can be found. The Holy Father is the key man who can give hope, not just the Lebanese people, but to all people of the Middle East, said the Archbishop.

“In the government, everybody is trying to keep the country quiet, and to prepare an atmosphere of reconciliation and brotherhood in order to receive the Pope as a united people, he said adding that a mass media campaign will also be used on the occasion.

“We are preparing people by a campaign on television and we will start at the beginning of August to prepare them about every event that will occur,” the Archbishop added.