Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to Lebanon next month will go ahead as planned, the Vatican said yesterday, even as fighting rages in neighbouring Syria.
The pope’s visit is scheduled for September 14th-16th, but escalating violence in Syria and sectarian tensions in Lebanon prompted speculation he might be forced to postpone the trip.
“The preparations for the visit are going ahead without any uncertainty on the part of the Vatican,” Fr Federico Lombardi, spokesman for the Holy See, told reporters.
Fr Lombardi said one of the pope’s specially designed cars – a so-called “popemobile” equipped with bullet-proof glass – was already on its way to Beirut. Lebanon will be his second foreign visit this year after a trip to Mexico and Cuba in March.
Pope Benedict (85) is scheduled to meet President Michel Suleiman and prime minister Najib Mikati on September 15th and hold an open-air Mass at the Beirut city centre waterfront the next day.
During his Easter service four months ago, Pope Benedict backed a Syrian peace plan that has since failed.