Lebanon Possible Destination for Papal Trip

Pope Francis is planing to kick off a tour to the Middle East that would include Lebanon, to express the Vatican’s solidarity with the people of the region, who are confronting tremendous challenges.

According to As Safir newspaper published on Tuesday, the pontiff's visit to Lebanon is on his 2014 schedule, where he is set to express the Catholic's church concern over the fate of the Christians in the Middle East.

The daily said that the pope's visit is to urge Christians to hold onto their land and to send a message to the World that “it's time to reach viable solutions to fortify peace in the region.”

The report said that the pontiff also decided to invite the Patriarchs of the Eastern Catholics and Orthodox for a meeting at the Vatican in November.

“The meeting will set a road map for all the patriarchs to maintain the historic legacy of the Eastern Christians and activate their presence.”

Pope Francis met with President Michel Suleiman at the Vatican in May.

The two men discussed the ethnic diversity in Lebanon and the importance of dialogue and collaboration among the different ethnic communities.