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 when the Vatican deems the visit “good for the country,” Archbishop Joseph Spiteri said Thursday before leaving for a new assignment in Mexico, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Here’s what we know:
• The Pontiff's long-awaited visit has been the subject of much speculation. Last April, President Michel Aoun announced the pope's visit scheduled for June, but the Vatican said it was only a “possibility under consideration.” Caretaker Tourism Minister, Walid Nassar, said in May that he had received a “letter from the Vatican officially informing him of the decision to postpone the Pope's visit,” citing “health reasons.”
• “The Holy Father's visit to Lebanon is still being considered, and is on the agenda of His Holiness,” Spiteri said during a farewell visit to the Maronite League, according to the NNA. “The date of the visit will be announced when the Roman Curia deems this trip useful for Lebanon,” he continued. Spiteri also assured that the Pope is “continuously in contact with all the countries concerned with the Lebanese crisis.”