His Holiness Pope Francis on a Visit to Lebanon, But What About the Date?
Gallagher: The Pope is Closely Following Developments in Lebanon
Coming from Rome to Beirut, His Eminence Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States, conveyed His Holiness Pope Francis’ closeness to the Lebanese people from all components, expressing the desire of the Pope to visit the wounded Lebanon. According to sources related to Gallagher, His Holiness will make an apostolic visit to the Land of the Cedars. A visit that will take several days and aims to sorrow a glimmer of hope amidst all the difficult circumstances the Lebanese citizens are passing through. According to the same sources, the visit will be very soon, especially since the visits of Gallagher are usually made in preparation for Pope Francis’ visits.
His Eminence Archbishop Gallagher is visiting Lebanon from January 31 to February 4, 2022. In a speech he delivered, yesterday, at the Lebanese Presidential Palace he mentioned that His Holiness Pope Francis is closely following developments in Lebanon. HH. said “Lebanon deserves exceptional attention, as the entire Middle East looks to it as a message for the future, and from here comes the necessity of preserving the Lebanese national identity, and if the situation does not develop positively, it will be reflected in the region.”
Gallagher added “a strong and united Lebanon can set an example for the entire Middle East, with its Christians and Muslims, in the service of the common good for all, and we hope that it plays this role again in the future… It is easy to say that Lebanon is a message; however, we must work together to make this message a tangible reality.”
It is worth mentioning that Gallagher prayed on the intention of the martyrs of the Beirut port explosion at St. Mikhael Church, Gemmayzeh, on Tuesday, February 1. He also participated in the opening of the Symposium on “John Paul II and Lebanon,” organized, this morning, by the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, and then celebrated the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus in the Temple at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Miraculous Icon in Achrafieh.
Communication and Public Relations Department