Pope Benedict XVI has not accepted the invitation to visit the Czech Republic next year, on the occasion of the 1100-year birth anniversary of St Wenceslas, the Czech patron saint, as he has planned other foreign trips, the Czech Bishops' Conference (CBK) said on its website today.CBK head Jan Graubner invited the Pope to the Czech Republic in November.
Benedict XVI, 80, whose civic name is Joseph Ratzinger, comes from Germany. He was elected Pope on April 19, 2005, replacing the late John Paul II, who came from Poland.
John Paul II, who was the head of the Catholic Church from 1978, visited the Czech Republic three times during his pontificate.
His successor Benedict XVI paid a visit to Poland last May and last autumn he visited his native Bavaria. This September, the Pope went to Austria.
The Pope's possible visit to Prague was discussed in the past, but no concrete date has been agreed yet.
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