Israel and Palestine
Pope Francis to pray with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on June 8
Franco Origlia/Getty Images
The Vatican has announced the official scheduling of a special prayer meeting for peace with Pope Francis, Israeli President Shimon Peres, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday, June 8.
The Pope extended the invitation for a prayer meeting during his recent visit to the region. The meeting will take place at the Vatican.
Also during his visit, Pope Francis made a number of gestures that were widely seen as a public boost to the Palestinian cause, such as making a direct reference to "the state of Palestine," and telling a group of Palestinian children, "I am with you."