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Papal trip confirmed
Continuing his Jubilee pilgrimage
Pope John Paul II has formally confirmed his plan to visit Syria. The Pope’s surprise announcement came on January 25, after an ecumenical celebration ending the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. “I am eagerly awaiting the trips that will take me to Syria and to Ukraine,” the Pope said. “My hope is that they will contribute to reconciliation and peace among Christians.”
Although the dates of the Pope’s trip to Ukraine had already been announced, there has been no official announcement from the Vatican press office of the trip to Syria, nor have any specific dates been mentioned for that visit. But on the very day that the Pope made his announcement, Cardinal Roberto Tucci was in Damascus discussing details of the plans for the papal voyage.
Vatican insiders expect the Pope to travel to Syria sometime in the spring. There is also some speculation that he might stop on the island of Malta on his return trip to Rome.