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| March
27, 2001 |
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John
Paul II to Travel to Greece, Syria and Malta in May
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VATICAN
CITY (AP) - The Vatican said Monday that Pope John Paul II will
travel to Greece, Syria and Malta in May, stressing the trip is
one of his pilgrimages to Biblical sites. Official confirmation
had been awaiting approval by the Greek Orthodox church, which came
last week. Historic hostility toward the Vatican from the church
in Greece had put that stop in doubt. The 80-year-old pope will
fly to Athens on May 4 and leave the following day for Damascus.
He will spend three nights in Syria, then fly to Malta for an overnight
stay before returning to Rome on May 9. John Paul will visit the
stops as part of a Biblical pilgrimage following the footsteps of
the Apostle Paul. It will be the first foreign tour for the pontiff
since his trip to the Holy Land a year ago. Foreign travel had been
put on hold because of commitments at the Vatican during the 2000
Holy Year. The Vatican also said Monday that Cardinal Edward Clancy
has retired as archbishop of Sydney, Australia. He will be succeeded
by Archbishop George Pell of Melbourne, the announcement said. Clancy,
77, had held the Sydney post since 1983. Pell, 59, has been serving
as archbishop of Melbourne since July 16, 1996. |
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