Vatican confirms tentative plans for papal visit to Holy Land in 2009

Published: 2008-12-01

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican has confirmed tentative plans for Pope Benedict XVI to visit the Holy Land in 2009. Israeli sources said the most likely time for the visit would be in May, with stops in Israel and the Palestinian territories. The pope was invited to visit Israel by Israeli President Shimon Peres in 2007. At that time, the pope made it clear he hoped to make the trip, but Vatican diplomats said the timing would depend in large part on efforts to calm the simmering Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In recent months, Israeli and Vatican officials began making more concrete plans for a papal visit. The contacts were first reported Nov. 27 by the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz and were confirmed by the Israeli Embassy to the Holy See. Ha'aretz said the most likely time frame for the trip was the second week in May.

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