Mikati announces holiday in pope’s honor

Prime Minister Najib Mikati Friday announced that next Saturday, Sept. 15, will be an official holiday in honor of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Lebanon. In a statement, Mikati said all public administration branches, public institutions, municipalities, schools and private and public universities will close Saturday. The pope arrives next Friday, and Mikati’s statement said the official holiday would allow various sections of the population to participate in his visit. The pope’s visit is expected to draw large crowds, and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel expressed confidence in the security measures taken to protect the pope. In remarks published in Thursday’s edition of An-Nahar, Charbel said extra precautions would be taken on account of the pope’s importance as a spiritual figure and head of the Vatican state. Declining to discuss the details of the security procedures, Charbel said they must be kept secret “for the mission to be successful. “But we can be reassured that all security forces, including the Army and Presidential Guard, have taken full precautions and plans are coordinated to protect the pope’s convoy, movements, and where he will be staying.” Charbel said security forces are working with a delegation from the Vatican, and they have established a joint operations room to manage the work of various forces. Calling the security measures unprecedented in “any plan to protect a president or leader visiting Lebanon,” Charbel said this was the case because of the “sensitivity of the current situation.” Charbel added that it is especially important to protect the pope while he is on the road. Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai Friday met with the Future Movement’s Secretary General Ahmad Hariri and a delegation of Future Movement officials to discuss the upcoming visit. After the meeting, Hariri said that their visit to the patriarch was intended to show the “Future Movement is involved with the pope’s visit, especially the spiritual, social and political aspects.” From DailyStar