Vatican announces papal trips to Bulgaria, Macedonia

Pope Francis incenses the altar as he celebrates Mass on the occasion of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will travel to Bulgaria and Macedonia from May 5 to May 7.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said Thursday that Pope Francis would visit the Bulgarian cities of Sofia and Rakovski, followed by a stop in the Macedonian capital Skopje. Burke said details will be published closer to the travel dates.

Pope Francis, who turns 82 this month, has a busy year of travel scheduled. The Vatican has confirmed trips to Panama, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, and the pontiff is also considering visiting Madagascar and Japan. /kga