Pope John Paul will visit Germany this year but will not take up an invitation to visit his native Poland in June because of elections planned there, the Vatican said on Wednesday.
Vatican chief spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement that the Germany trip was the only one definitely planned so far this year for the 84-year-old pope.
He said the pontiff, whose health has been uncertain for several years, will travel to the German city of Cologne for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Youth in mid-August.
"For this year there is no trip planned for the Holy Father to Poland, where elections will be held in 2005," he said. The country is due to hold general elections in June and presidential polls in October.
The pope had been invited to visit his homeland in June for religious celebrations but the tone of the spokesman's statement indicated the pontiff did not want his presence to influence the polls.
Vatican sources have said the pope wants to go to the Republic of Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland this year but the trip is not yet definite.
|