Updated Jan. 5, 2014 11:45 a.m. ETROME— Pope Francis will visit Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories in May, his second trip abroad since becoming pontiff and one that will include a meeting with the leader of the Orthodox Christian Church.
The pope chose Sunday, the 50th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s historic trip to Jerusalem to meet the leader of the Orthodox Christian Church, to announce that he will visit Amman, Jerusalem and Bethlehem on May 24-26.
Pope Francis made the announcement personally during his Sunday address to thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
His predecessors, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, visited the Holy Land during their papacies. Pope Francis, who became pope in March, has so far made only one foreign trip, traveling last summer to Brazil. Pope Francis has frequently called for peace in the Middle East since his election and has been invited to visit the region by both Palestinian and Israeli leaders.
The trip to the Middle East will be closely watched for signs of changes in the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish community as well as the Orthodox Christian Church.
During his visit, the pontiff, who was born in Argentina and is the first pope from the Americas, will meet with Bartholomew I, the patriarch of Constantinople and the spiritual leader of the Orthodox Christian Church, which counts 250 million members world-wide.
That encounter could feed hopes of a subsequent meeting with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, a possibility that gained new currency following the pontiff’s meeting in November with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Write to Christopher Emsden at chris.emsden@wsj.com
Excerpt from: Pope Sets Dates for Holy Land Pilgrimage
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