Pope Francis will travel to Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Territories for the first time since his election, with the papal visit set to take place from May 24 to May 26.
The pontiff announced the “pilgrimage” during his weekly address in Rome on Sunday, confirming that he would visit holy sites in Amman, Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
“We will hold an ecumenical meeting ... with all representatives of the Christian churches in Jerusalem, together with Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople,” Pope Francis said.
The trip will mark his first official visit to the region since embarking on his papal tenure in March 2013. His predecessor Pope Benedict XVI visited Israel four years into his papacy in 2009.
