Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Israel in early 2014, according to a report Friday in the daily Maariv.
The event was worked out in a series of meetings between Vatican and Israeli officials, including members of the Christian community in the Israeli Interior Ministry.
During a visit of Israeli President Shimon Peres to Pope Francis in May at the Vatican, shortly after his election, the Pontiff accepted an invitation to come to Israel for an official state visit before Peres ends his presidential tenure.
At the end of the meeting, Peres told the new pope: "I would like to invite you to visit the Holy Land. I am sure that you will be received warmly by all the citizens, regardless of religion, race or nationality. The citizens of Israel see in you a leader of peace and good will. The sooner you visit the better as in these days a new opportunity is being created for peace and your arrival could contribute significantly to increasing the trust and belief in peace."
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin, who met this week the Vatican's Foreign Minister in New York, in the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, stressed the importance of such a visit.
Pope Paul VI was the first to visit Israel in 1964.