Pope Francis has confirmed to Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the Vatican today that he will come to Ireland.
The Pontiff is expected to travel here for the World Meeting of Families in Dublin in 2018.
Ireland’s Catholic bishops had previously invited Pope Francis to visit for the event, and the Taoiseach met with the Pontiff to show his support of the invitation.
It was reported that Pope Francis had given the invitation some “careful consideration”, before confirming his acceptance today.
The papal visit will be the first by a sitting Pope in almost 40 years. Pope John Paul II visited Ireland in 1979, as more than 2.5 million people attended events organised in Dublin, Drogheda, Clonmacnoise, Knock, Maynooth, Limerick and Galway.
Tags:Pope Francis has been an important voice for the young, the poor & disadvantaged – glad he will visit Ireland in 2018 pic.twitter.com/vSn16otMAA
— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD) November 28, 2016
