Pope Francis planning to visit Cyprus in December

Pope Francis will visit Cyprus in December, making him the second Roman Catholic pope to ever travel to the eastern Mediterranean island nation, a Cypriot official said.

The official said the pope’s two-day visit will take place Dec. 2-3 when he will hold talks with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades. Little else is known about the pope’s itinerary. The official, who is knowledgeable about the plans for the visit, spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he’s not permitted to speak publicly.

The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, didn’t confirm or deny the trip, saying in an email to the AP: “Some trip hypotheses are under study for the autumn but it’s premature to speak about them.”

Anastasiades had announced after a 2019 visit to the Vatican that Francis would be travelling to Cyprus in 2020, but the pandemic caused the trip to be delayed.

Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI was the first pope to travel to Cyprus in 2010.

Photo: Pope Francis. EPA-EFE/MAURIZIO BRAMBATTI

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