Pope Francis would visit Sri Lanka in January next year, 19 years after Pope John Paul II's visited the island nation, a local church announced today.
"The Pope's Sri Lanka visit dates have been confirmed today. His Holiness will visit the country between January and 15", Rev Father Cyril Gamini, a spokesman for the local Catholic church said quoting the Vatican authorities.
This will mark his second trip to Asia.
The 77-year-old pontif will visit Sri Lanka from January 13-15, before heading to the Philippines-- Asia's largest Catholic country-- until January 19.
The trip will come six months after Francis's first visit to Asia -- an upcoming visit to South Korea scheduled between August 14-18 next month.
The last Papal visit to Sri Lanka was in January 1995.
The Vatican confirmation of the Papal visit puts to rest speculation that he may not visit the country in view of the likelihood of a snap presidential polls early next year.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa is widely expected to call a snap-poll to seek a third successive term.
Rajapaksa's current term ends in 2016.
