Pope Francis to visit crisis-hit Lebanon in June

Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Lebanon in June, the country's presidency said Tuesday, in a long-awaited trip that comes amid a spiralling financial and political crisis.

"Apostolic Envoy Joseph Spiteri informed President Michel Aoun that Pope Francis will visit Lebanon next June," a presidency statement said.

Lebanon, home to one of the largest Christian communities in the Middle East, has been gripped by an unprecedented economic downturn since 2019, with more than 80 percent of the population now living in poverty.

Pope Francis, who has received Lebanon's president and prime minister in recent months, had previously promised to visit the country and repeatedly expressed concern over its growing crisis. 

"The Lebanese people have been waiting for this visit for some time to express gratitude to his holiness for his support," the statement added, saying the exact date and agenda for the visit would be set at a later date. 

The pope met last month with Lebanon's president, who is a Christian as dictated by the country's constitution which also divides seats in government and parliament along sectarian quotas.

In November, Pope Francis met with Lebanon's Muslim Prime Minister...