After a whirlwind morning of visiting Jerusalem sites and speaking with Israeli leaders, Francis will spend his last half-day in the region concentrated on his own house, starting with a meeting with Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I on Mount Zion.
From there, here will meet with priests and seminarians at the Garden of Gethsemane before heading to Mount Zion.
There he will hold a service in the Cenacle, or Upper Room, where Jesus is believed to have held the Last Supper.
The Cenacle visit has the highest potential to raise hackles. Jewish activists have protested the visit to the site, which sits above a tomb believed to belong to King David, as a sign of Church plans for control of the spot.
While Israel is in negotiations with the Vatican over increased access, officials have insisted they will not damage the status quo by giving it over to the church.
From Mount Zion, Francis will go to Mount Scopus, where he will board a helicopter for the airport. A ceremony is planned before he takes off back for Rome.
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, May 26, 2014
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