President Mary McAleese will meet the Pope next month during an official visit to the Vatican and Rome.
It will be the third time Mrs McAleese and Pope Benedict XVI have met. They previously met at the pontiff's inauguration in April 2005 and they had a private meeting in September 2005.
Mrs McAleese will arrive in Rome on Wednesday March 21st following official visits to Brussels, Louvain and Milan.
