Gozo Bishop Mario Grech left Malta yesterday for a four-day pastoral visit to Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
He is accompanied by his personal assistant Fr Eddie Zammit.
Mgr Grech is today expected to visit the Chapel Of The Nativity and will be meeting Maltese members of religious orders working in the Holy Land.
Mgr Giovanni Gauci will be locum tenens in Mgr Grech's absence.