After Rai and Aoun discussed preparations for Pope Francis’ Lebanon visit, Friday, the patriarch seemed to confirm that the pope would indeed be coming in June. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT – The Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai and President Michel Aoun discussed preparations for Pope Francis’ Lebanon visit at Baabda Palace Friday. Rai said that Aoun's visit to the Vatican in March “was very successful, and the proof is the visit of the Pope to Lebanon, which will take place next June.”
Here’s what we know:
• Pope Francis met with Aoun on March 21, in a cordial 30-minute-long meeting during which “good diplomatic relations” between Lebanon and the Vatican were emphasized. “Attention has been focused on the country’s serious socio-economic problems, as well as the refugee situation,” said the Holy See’s official news agency.
• The patriarch added that during his visit, “Pope Francis wants to assure the Lebanese people that, though they living through a long night at all levels, this night is met by dawn, and that he will speak about Lebanon's pluralism and democracy, as well as the difficulties the country is undergoing, especially on the economic and social level, and that he will share a word of hope.”
• On Tuesday, Aoun announced in a tweet that Pope Francis would visit Lebanon in June. However, the Vatican's press office said that the much-anticipated visit was still “a possibility that is being studied.”
• Rai also said that President Aoun confirmed the government's readiness to submit draft laws related to the IMF agreement to Parliament.
• A staff-level agreement between the Lebanese government and the International Monetary Fund was announced in a statement by the fund Thursday, an agreement that must be approved by the IMF’s management and executive board. Lebanese authorities agreed to undertake “several critical reforms” before the IMF board meeting, the statement said.