A Lebanese priest holds Lebanon’s flag while kneeling next to Pope Francis, making a statement about the situation in Lebanon in the Vatican on Sept. 2, 2020. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — Pope Francis will visit Lebanon on June 12 and 13, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states, Richard Paul Gallagher, announced Wednesday in a letter to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Here's what we know:
• Last week, the head of the Maronite Church Bechara al-Rai had indicated that the pope would visit during the month of June, without giving a precise date.
• President Michel Aoun also announced a June visit last week, before the Vatican replied to this announcement the same day saying the trip was still “a possibility under study.”
• Pope Francis has been vocal about supporting Lebanon in recent months and has expressed his intention to visit on several occasions. During a visit to Cyprus in December, he said that he was “deeply worried” about the ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon.