Pope Plans November Fanari Visit

Pope Francis reportedly expressed his wish to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in June last year, during the celebration of the Diocesional celebrations of the Church of Rome.

Pope Francis is expected to reciprocate the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew in Rome, visiting the lighthouse during the feast of the founder of the Church of Constantinople, St. Andrew. Thus continue the tradition that was created after the official resumption of contact Churches of Rome and Constantinople in 1964.

A similar visit was made ​​in 2006 by Pope Benedict and his predecessors Popes John Paul II and Paul VI had visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The visit of Pope Francis, will be combined as in similar cases in the past with an official visit to the capital of Turkey Ankara, where the Pope will have contacts with the state and political leadership of Turkey, in the capacity as Head of State of the Vatican.

The official confirmation of the visit is expected once the new President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken over his post in an official capacity. So the pope will be the first leader to visit the new Turkish president.

Note that it is the third time in 2014 that Pope Francis will meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, after their meetings in Jerusalem, last May, and in Rome last June.