Lahham reviews the Pope's visit program to Syria
In a press conference he held in Damascus on Wednesday, the patriarch of the Greek- Catholic church for Antioch and the whole east Gregorious III Lahham said that Pope John Paul II will hold during his coming visit to Syria by the beginning of May, two meetings, one of them is a close door meeting with President Bashar al-Assad.
Lahham also added that he had extended an invitation to the Maronite Patriarch Nasrullah Sfeir to visit Syria on the occasion of the Pope's visit which will last for three days, but he has not received a reply yet.
Lahham continued that " the Pope John Paul II will meet with the Syrian President" when he will start his visit on May 5. Lahham added that the Pope will hold two meetings with President al-Assad " one is a close door meeting," noting that the Pope will discuss with the Syrian President " the situation in Palestine and peace in the region."
As for inviting Sfeir to visit Syria, Lahham said " we have invited all heads of Christian churches in Palestine, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon to this visit," adding replying to a question on whether patriarch Sfeir had accepted the invitation:" I do not know whether Sfeir will respond to this invitation or not."
Lahham considered that the visit of the Pope will give a great impetus for the Islamic- Christian dialogue and that the Pope will assert " coexistence " between Christians and other communities in Syria. Lahham continued that the visit of the Pope will " back the Christian presence in Syria as a genuine presence in the heart of the history of Syria." According to Lahham, the Pope will talk during his visit, in which he will be accompanied by more than 1000 journalists and correspondents about his views on " Palestine and Jerusalem, the Vatican's position in support of the Palestinian question and will also about " all Arab rights."
The Program of the Pope's visit, which was circulated by the Orthodox- Greek patriarchy which contributed to organizing the Papal visit to Syria, includes three main stations: A Papal Sermon at the Abbasid playground in Damascus, a visit to the Umayyad's mosque and a visit to the liberated Syrian city of al-Quneitra, one of the Syrian towns restored back from Israel in 1974 after it was totally destroyed by the Israeli forces which occupied the city in the war of 1967."
Lahham explained that there will be no joint prayers with the Mufti of the Republic in Syria Sheikh Ahmad Kiftaro, noting that the Pope will meet with Kiftaro at the Ummayad's mosque and each of them will deliver a speech.
