“Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it…” (Genesis 13:17)

Although The Pope has expressed his eagerness to visit Israel, that visit may not be as soon as initially expected.  Israel’s Channel 2 News had picked up a report from Italian media which suggested the pontiff was planning a springtime visit, along with his close friend, Argentinian Rabbi Abraham Skorka.  A Vatican spokesman, however, told Israel’s Army Radio on Monday morning that the rumored March visit was not to be.

“The Pope is eager to visit the Holy Land and Israel, but at the moment, we don’t know when exactly that visit will be,” the vatican representative said, leaving the door open for a visit at a possible later date.

According to the earlier report, the Pope had told Skorka, an old personal friend, that it was his lifelong dream to visit Israel, including Bethlehem.

Over the past year, several Israeli leaders visiting the Vatican extended personal invitations to the pontiff, with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein last week offering to personally host him.  To each Pope Francis responded enthusiastically, telling Edelstein, “I’ll come, I’ll come.”

Both of the last two popes, Benedict XVI and John Paul II, visited the Holy Land during their tenures, in 2000 and 2009, respectively, including visits to the Palestinian territories in Judea and Samaria.