VATICAN CITY, JUNE 18, 2001 (Zenit.org).- U.S. President George W. Bush might make his first visit to John Paul II as head of state on July 23, a newspaper reported today.
The news was rumored in the Roman Curia over the weekend and reported in the Roman daily Il Messaggero. The Vatican has not confirmed the report.
The meeting might take place in Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence located 30 kilometers (18 miles) from Rome.
Bush will be in Italy to attend the G-8 summit of the most industrialized countries and Russia. The summit will be held in the city of Genoa.
By July 23, the Pope will have ended his July 9-20 vacation in Les Combes, near Aosta, in the Italian Alps.
