Klaus supports church restitution, plans to invite pope

President Václav Klaus will offer an official invitation to Pope Benedict XVI to visit the Czech Republic on the occasion of the 1150th anniversary of the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius in 2013. Many in the Catholic Church have hoped for an official invitation since the pontiff’s last visit to the Czech Republic in September of 2009. On that occasion he was accompanied throughout his weekend visit by President Klaus. The president had what he called a warm meeting with members of the Czech Bishop’s Conference on Tuesday, after which he also said that he saw no problems with the property settlement proposal being ironed out between the government and the church.