President Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to travel to the Vatican this week.

The Presidential Media Unit stated that President Rajapaksa will use this visit to officially invite his Holiness Pope Francis to Sri Lanka.

His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith stated earlier that His Holiness the Pope would arrive in Sri Lanka on January 13 next year.

His Eminence added that the Papal father will travel in an open vehicle from Katunayake to Colombo after the welcoming ceremony at the Airport.

This will be the third occasion on which a Pontiff is visiting Sri Lanka. His holiness the pope is expected to celebrate a holy mass at the Galle Face Grounds in the morning and will celebrate a holy mass at the Madu Church in the evening of January 14.

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