Pope receives Jerusalem Patriarch and Vicars

Pope Francis met first with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal for about twenty minutes in order to discuss with him the state of the Middle East and the Church. Afterwards, the Vicars of the Patriarch were presented one by one to the Pope: Archbishop Maroun Lahham, Vicar in Amman, Bishop Boulos Marcuzzo, Vicar in Israel, Bishop William Shomali, Vicar in Jerusalem and Father David Neuhaus SJ, Vicar for the Hebrew Speaking Catholics in Israel. Presented together with the Vicars was also the new Archbishop of Tunis Ilario Antoniazzi, a priest of the Latin Patriarch.

After the presentation of the Vicars, the Patriarch presented the priest who accompanied the delegation: Father Humam Khzouz, General Administrator of the Patriarchate and Father Mario, as well as three priests studying in Italy: Fathers Yaakoub Rafidi, Shawki Baterian and Aktham Hijazin.

When Father David presented himself to the Pope, he said: "I am Father David, Vicar for the kehillot, A Jesuit among diocesan clergy and a Jew among Arabs". The Holy Father smiled and turned to the Patriarch and said: "Ah, another one who has the same virus".

The Patriarch and his Vicars reminded the Holy Father that we are waiting eagerly for his visit.

After the visit, the Patriarch invited one and all to lunch with him at Saint Martha. Sure enough, within a few minutes of beginning lunch, the Pope, accompanied by his secretary, Father Xuereb, entered to eat in the refectory.