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Vatican confirms May visit to Azerbaijan and Bulgaria.

Posted by AP on April 3, 2002, 7:23:45

Vatican confirms May visit to Azerbaijan and Bulgaria. AP VATICAN CITY - Keeping up foreign travel despite his frail condition, Pope John Paul II will visit Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in May, the Vatican said Wednesday. It was the Vatican's first confirmation of the trip that had long been in the planning stages. The Vatican said it will take place May 22-26, but did not give details. John Paul, who will turn 82 on May 18, cut back his participation in several Holy Week ceremonies because of what the Vatican described as arthrosis, a joint disease involving destruction of cartilage. The Vatican on Tuesday denied an Italian newspaper report that surgery was planned on his ailing knee. The pope's voice is often slurred and his hands tremble, both symptons of Parkinson's disease. The May trip is part of John Paul's efforts to improve relations with non-Catholics. Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic in the Caucasus mountains, is heavily Muslim while Bulgaria is predominantly Orthodox Christian. Bulgarian leaders hope a papal visit will help dispel lingering suspicions that Bulgarian secret service officers were involved in the 1981 assassination attempt on the pope by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca. Three Bulgarians suspected of complicity in the shooting were acquitted by an Italian court for lack of evidence. --------------------------------------------------------- Vatican Confirmed Pope's Visit to Bulgaria. Standartnews Silvia Nikolova Pope John Paul II will pay a visit to Bulgaria from May 23 at night to May 26, Vatican's spokesman Joaquin Navarro Vals said yesterday at noon. The news was confirmed by Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry as well. Pope John Paul II will meet Patriarch Maxim on May 24 at 11.30 a.m. Earlier the Pope will attend the church service dedicated to the Day of the Cyrillic Alphabet and Culture at the "St. Alexander Nevski" Patriarchal Cathedral, employees from the Holy Synod specified. The letter by the Holy Synod to Pope John Paul II and his meeting with Patriarch Maxim were commented favourably," Bulgaria's ambassador to the Vatican Vladimir Gradev elaborated.

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Message Thread: Patriarch Maxim Receives Papal Legates. - N January 8, 2002, 6:22:02 Vatican To Grant a Church in Rome to Bulgaria. - N April 10, 2002, 15:37:54 Vatican confirms May visit to Azerbaijan and Bulgaria. - AP April 3, 2002, 7:23:45 BULGARIA - PAPAL VISIT - SCHEDULE. - N May 14, 2002, 10:06:27 Pope plans to meet with Muslim, Jewish and Orthodox leaders - during upcoming trip. May 2, 2002, 8:14:49 Pope to beatify Bulgarian Catholic priests. - N April 27, 2002, 7:39:39 POPE JOHN PAUL II-"THE TIMES"-BULGARIA-COMMENTARY. - N April 15, 2002, 6:47:26 Patriarch Maxim Invites Pope To Synodal Palace. - N April 3, 2002, 5:10:50 BULGARIA-POPE JOHN PAUL II-ENVOYS. - N January 9, 2002, 3:45:30 The Pope To Attend Service of Maxim. - N March 20, 2002, 9:16:30 Pope to Bless a New Cathedral in Sofia. - N February 27, 2002, 8:25:41 Maxim Hasn't Given His Consent for the Pope's Visit in "Alexander Nevski' - N January 10, 2002, 8:45:42 « Back to thread

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