'The Pope will come north and he will be very welcome' - Pope Francis to visit Northern Ireland?

'If a visit to the north wasn't included, the Pope would probably skip the whole island.'

It is known the Vatican never confirms a papal visit until six months prior to the trip but Martin McGuinness, the deputy first minister, released a statement claiming Pope Francis will be visiting Ireland in 2018.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Speaking after Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Enda Kenny, following a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, McGuinness told reporters: "I've been around a long time and I know how these things work."

He announced Pope Francis will be crossing the border to visit Northern Ireland in August, 2018.

The Irish Catholic press office refuses to confirm the visit and the Vatican remains silent, though Pope Francis has expressed a desire to visit Ireland in the past.

Kenny took to Twitter to say Pope Francis "has been an important voice for the young, the poor and disadvantaged."

He also wrote: "Pope Francis has been an important voice for the young, the poor & disadvantaged - glad he will visit Ireland in 2018."

Kenny later told reporters he was glad the Pope would be visiting Ireland soon.

Kenny added: "We discussed what he might do and obviously that's a matter for dialogue between his Holiness and the bishops.

"Obviously if that means that he also travels to Northern Ireland we will assist and co-operate in making whatever arrangements."

Michael Kelly, the managing editor of The Irish Catholic, told Radio Ulster's Talkback: "if a visit to the north wasn't included, the Pope would probably skip the whole island."

He explained the Vatican agrees a visit to the north would complete the pilgrimage of Pope John Paul, who made the journey in 1979 but did not cross the border into Northern Ireland.

Talks of a papal visit in 2018 would align with the World Meeting of Families (WMF) in Dublin.

Since 1994, there has only been one instance in which a Pope did not attend the World Meeting of Families.

When speaking of the WMF earlier this year, the Vatican said Pope Francis' program is normally announced a few months before any scheduled event, therefore there would be no information concerning a visit to Ireland any time soon.

Speaking of a possible visit to Ireland, the Vatican noted the Pope's age and claimed his visit would be more restricted than that of Pope John Paul II, who came to Ireland in 1979.

Alban Maginness MLA of the Social Democratic and Labour Party told Talkback things in Northern Ireland "moved on enormously."

He explained: "The Pope will come north and he will be very welcome. There is a new mood among Christian believers.

"The Protestant Churches will be very welcoming. There is a different atmosphere and it will do a lot to excite interest."

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