Pope to address German Parliament
When the burnt-out Reichstag building was rebuilt in teh early 1990s to house the Federal Repbulic's Bundestag, the historic facade was reconstructed but a modern central dome was added.
BERLIN, Dec. 16 (AP) - Germany's Parliament (Bundestag) says Pope Benedict XVI is expected to address the chamber during a visit to his homeland in September.
The Bavarian-born Pontiff will visit Berlin, Freiburg and Erfurt during a visit from Sept. 22-25.
Speaker Norbert Lammert said Thursday he was pleased the Pope had accepted his invitation to visit the parliament, which is housed in Berlin's historic Reichstag building.
Foreign heads of state who have addressed German lawmakers include then-Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2001, U.S. President George W. Bush in 2002, and Israeli President Shimon Peres earlier this year.
[Earlier, it was reported that some highly secular minority political parties opposed having the Pope address the Bundestag since they claim he is mainly a spiritual and not a political leader. It is fitting that as the first German Pope since Germany came into being as a nation state, Benedict XVI would be the first Pope ever to address the German Parliament.]
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 16/12/2010 19:36]