Vatican the Pope will visit Syria in the first half of May

A well-informed source at the Vatican said on Monday that Pope John Paul II will visit Syria in the first half of May after a stop in Malta.

Ten days earlier in a mass held at St. Paul Cathedral, the Pope stressed he will visit Syria this year but he did not set a date for the visit. In his speech, the Pope noted that his visit to Syria and Ukraine will help attaining reconciliation and peace among Christians.

Moreover, in his speech to declare the beginning of the new Millennium in the year 2000 the Pope expressed his desire to visit Syria, Greece and Malta in the pilgrimage visit that followed the steps of St. Paul.