Peres honored by the people of Assisi

The people of Assisi in southern Italy awarded Shimon Peres a medal Wednesday in honor of his contribution toward peace, as the president wrapped up his trip to the Mediterranean country.

Peres thanked his hosts for the efforts by residents of the city to rescue Jews during the Holocaust, mentioning four whom Israel honored as Righteous Among the Nations for their acts. He also asked them to pray for “an end to bloodshed” in the Middle East.

On Tuesday, newly installed Pope Francis accepted an invitation from Peres to visit Israel and Jerusalem, as the two leaders held their first meeting at the Vatican.

The pope accepted the offer “with willingness and joy,” a Vatican spokesman told reporters.

No date has been set for the trip, which would be the second for the pontiff, who visited in October 1973 at what turned out to be the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War.

Francis would try to find time to visit “in the near future,” the President’s Residence said in a statement.

“The sooner you visit the better, as in these days a new opportunity is being created for peace and your arrival could contribute significantly to increasing the trust and belief in peace,” Peres said.

Assisi is the birthplace of Saint Francis of Assisi, from whom the new pontiff took his name.