On the eve of being sworn-in as the next president of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres received on Saturday a letter of congratulations from Pope Benedict XVI.

In the letter the pontiff wrote he was praying for Peres to succeed in his new position and urged him to promote peace in the Middle East.

He commended the Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his past efforts in talks with Palestinians and asked he continue to push for negotiations.

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Peres received the letter at a Jerusalem hotel as he prepared for Sunday's swearing-in ceremony.

The veteran statesman's wife of 62-years Sonia Peres is recovering from an illness and is expected not to attend the ceremony.

The inauguration ceremony for President-elect Shimon Peres will take place at 6 P.M. on Sunday. After he swears allegiance, Peres will begin serving as Israel's ninth president.

On the domestic front, one of the first decisions facing Peres is whether to pardon former deputy minister Naomi Blumenthal. Blumenthal was convicted of graft during a 2002 Likud primary campaign and given an eight-month prison sentence.

Peres was elected a month ago, after besting MKs Reuven Rivlin (Likud) and Colette Avital (Labor). Moshe Katsav resigned from the presidency two weeks ago, and Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik has been serving as acting president in the interim.

The car carrying the president-elect will arrive at the Knesset accompanied by the customary six motorcyclists and six horsemen. Peres will review an honor guard of 72 representatives of the Israel Defense Forces and the Knesset Guard. Afterward, he will lay a wreath at the monument to fallen Israeli soldiers, located at the Knesset entrance.