Pope says to visit Middle East in May

Pope Francis announced on Sunday that he will visit Holy Land sites in Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories in May, his first trip to the area as pontiff.

The May 24-26 trip to Amman, Bethlehem and Jerusalem will mark the 50th anniversary of a landmark trip there by Pope Paul VI in 1964, the first by a pope in modern times.

Pope John Paul II visited in 2000 and Benedict XVI went in 2009.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Janet Lawrence)