Pope Francis will make his first visit to Israel in May. The trip, which will include stops in the West Bank and Jordan, comes as the United States is pushing for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Francis said his trip's main goal is to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic Jerusalem meeting between Pope Paul VI and Orthodox Christian leader Ecumenical Patriarch Atengora.
Many Catholics and Orthodox Christians have been divided since the Great Schism of 1054, mostly because of disagreements over the primacy of the pope.
While in Jerusalem, the Pope will be joined by the current ecumenical patriarch, Bartholomew. They will have mass together.
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