POPE FRANCIS has confirmed he will make the first papal trip to Ireland in almost 40 years this summer.
The Pontiff will visit the emerald isle from Saturday, August 25 to Sunday, August 26 for the World Meeting of Families 2018 in Dublin.
It will mark Pope Francis' first trip to Ireland and just the second visit of a Pope in history, after John Paul II touched down on Irish soil in October 1979.
This morning's news was met with glee by the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, who said in a statement: “On behalf of the faithful of Ireland we warmly welcome today’s announcement, by the Holy Father himself, that he plans to visit Dublin in August for the World Meeting of Families.
Bishops warmly welcome Pope Francis to the World Meeting of Families in Dublin https://t.co/djlTBO0oRy @WMOF2018 @DublinDiocese pic.twitter.com/XFeZtHXaGE
— CatholicBishops (@CatholicBishops) March 21, 2018
“We are deeply honoured that Pope Francis will come to our country to participate in this universal Church celebration of faith and joy, as well as of the contemporary challenges which face families.
"With great anticipation we also look forward to hearing the apostolic guidance of His Holiness during his stay with us.”
Full details of the papal schedule will be released at a later date.
Today in Rome, two Irish families – the Bushell family and Tobin family from Co. Kildare – presented the official World Meeting of Families 2018 ‘Icon of the Holy Family’ to Pope Francis during his weekly general audience in Saint Peter’s Square, in a delegation led by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.
