POPE John Paul will make a long awaited visit to Lebanon on May 10th and 11th, three years after cancelling a planned trip in the wake of a church bombing, the Vatican announced yesterday.
The visit will be the first by a pope to the country in modern times. The Vatican's chief spokesman, Dr Joaquin Navarro Valls, announced the latest date in an already busy 1997 schedule of papal visits after the pontiff received the Lebanese Prime Minister, Mr Rafik al Hariri.
He said the Pope would preside over the ceremonial close of a synod of the Lebanese Church held at the Vatican in 1995 during his two day weekend visit to Beirut.
The Vatican called off a planned five day papal trip in May 1994 after the bombing of a Maronite church north of Beirut in which II Sunday worshippers were killed and 59 injured.
The Pope had been expected to visit the Biblical cities of Tyre and Sidon during the coming trip, but Dr Navarro Valls said he would stay in the capital.
Vatican sources said the trip as limited to the capital for security reasons.
The visit would include a Mass and a meeting with young people, Dr Navarro Valls said.
The Polish Pope, who often speaks out in favour of Middle East peace and dreams of visiting the Holy Land by the year 2000, is expected to call for a comprehensive settlement.
There were tensions last year between Lebanon and Israel, which occupies a zone in southern Lebanon. The Vatican is opposed to both the Israeli and Syrian military presence in Lebanon.
The Vatican said yesterday's audience was given over to discussions of Middle East peace and preparations for the trip.
Mr Al Hariri also met the Italian President, Mr Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, yesterday during a visit which officials in Beirut have said would focus on bilateral relations and Italy's contribution in the reconstruction of Lebanon after the 1975-1990 civil war.
Italy is Lebanon's biggest trading partner and one of the biggest contributors to its reconstruction.
The Pope was told by his doctors after an operation to remove his appendix late last year that at 76 and with delicate health, he should slow down.