Following the invitation in previous months by the Bishops of Malta and the President of the Republic, to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to visit Malta, Dr Alberto Gasbarri will be visiting Malta in October to explore this possibility. Dr Gasbarri, who is responsible for Pontifical Visits, is to consider a visit by the Pope in April 2010, on the occasion of the 1950th anniversary of St Paul’s shipwreck.

The Bishops of Malta would like to encourage the faithful to pray for the Maltese islands to be blessed with a visit by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.