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Pope to meet Lebanese Muslim, Christian leaders

Arab World Materials 15 September 2012 11:39 (UTC +04:00)
Pope to meet Lebanese Muslim, Christian leaders
Pope to meet Lebanese Muslim, Christian leaders

Pope Benedict XVI will meet Muslim and Christian leaders as well as foreign diplomats Saturday on the second day of his visit to Lebanon dpa reported

The pope spent the night about 30 kilometers north-east of Beirut. People had lined the route since early morning to glimpse his motorcade.

Lebanon announced a national holiday to allow people to go to the streets and welcome the pontiff.

He was also scheduled to meet Lebanese legislators including members of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah.

"I have come to Lebanon as a pilgrim of peace, as a friend of God and as a friend of men," the pope said on arrival Friday.

Benedict appealed to Christians, Jews and Muslims alike to "root out" religious fundamentalism. He also called on the Christian minority in the Middle East region not to fear for their future.

The papal visit coincided with deadly unrest sweeping the Middle East over a film made in the US that mocks Islam.

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