NNA - President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, met the Papal Ambassador to Lebanon, Monsignor Joseph Spiteri, this afternoon at the Presidential Palace.

Monsignor Spiteri handed the President a written message informing him that His Holiness, Pope Francis, had decided to visit Lebanon next June, provided that the date, program and date of the announcement would be officially determined, in coordination between Lebanon and the Holy See.

For his side, President Aoun expressed his happiness that the Pope accepted the invitation that he renewed for him to visit Lebanon during their last meeting in the Vatican on Monday, March 21.

The President also noted that the Lebanese have been waiting for this visit for some time, to express their gratitude for His Holiness’s stances towards Lebanon and the Lebanese, and for the initiatives that he took and the prayers he offered for the establishment of peace and stability in Lebanon, in addition to the solidarity with the Lebanese in the difficult circumstances they are witnessing. -- Presidency Press office

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