Pope John Paul II in Damascus today
Syria-Vatican, Politics, 5/5/2001

Damascus, the cradle of divine religions receives today ( on the steps of the messenger of nations, Paul), Pope John Paul II in his first visit to Syria after he had concluded a similar visit to Greece in which he offered apology to the Orthodox Christians who were exposed to faults committed against them by the Catholics and asked them forgiveness. One of the main stops in the visit of the Pope is a visit to the Umayyad's mosque which is rich in religious symbols, as it contains the tomb of John the Baptist ( Prophet Yahya for Muslims).

Damascus has, however, completed its preparations to receive the Pope who will arrive today afternoon coming from Athens to meet with President Bashar al-Assad before he will start his tour ( following the steps of Saint Paul). The Pope will visit the Grand Umayyad's mosque in a first visit of its kind by a spiritual leader of the Catholic Christians in the world.

There are talks that the Syrian officials will give the Pope " a surprise" including the discovery of the tomb of saint Mar Maroun of the Maronite sect in Syria and Lebanon in the town of Kafer Nabu to the north of the country, although the patriarch of the Maronite community in Lebanon Nasrullah Sfeir will not take part with others, the Pope's visit to Syria.

The Pope will make, in his visit, two historical gestures. The first is religious in which he, together with the Syrian Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Kiftaro will hold "silent tour" at the Umayyad's mosque as a first step of its kind and the second is a political gesture in which the Pope will hold a " the peace" mass and implanted an olive tree in the Syrian liberated city of al-Quneitra in the Golan which is occupied by israel since 1967.

Previous Stories:
  The Pope to hold a mass at the Damascus Abbasids' Stadium   (5/4/2001)
  Syrian information minister: the Pope's visit to Quneitra aims at tracing Israeli crimes   (5/1/2001)
  A Syrian diplomatic campaign during the Pope's visit to Syria   (4/30/2001)

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