PAPAL PROGRAM FOR MILAN
June 1-3, 2012
Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan, and Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, led a news confernece in Minlan today to announce the program for Benedict XVI's 3-day attendance from June 1-3 at the VII World Encounter of Families which takes place May 29-June 3. The theme is "The Family: Work and Celebration".
The detailed program is published on the website of the VII WEF, but only in Italian. Until I can translate it, here's the s summary, adapted from
The Holy Father will arrive at Milan's Linate airport at 5 p.m. on Friday 1 June, where he will be welcomed by the local authorities.
At 5.30 p.m. he will greet the citizens of Milan from the Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square).
At 7.30 p.m. he will attend a concert in his honor at La Scala opera house.
At 10 a.m. on Saturday 2 June, the Holy Father will celebrate Lauds with priests and religious in Milan Cathedral, and deliver a meditation.
He will then travel by car to San Siro stadium for a meeting with young people who are preparing for Confirmation this year.
In the afternoon, he will deliver an address before the local authorities.
At 8.30 p.m. he will move on to Milan's Parco Nord, site of the World Encounter events, for the Feast of Testimonies, in which some families participating in the Encounter will recount their stories.
On Sunday 3 June, he will preside at a Eucharistic concelebration in Parco Nord beginning at 10 a.m. in Parco Nord.
After praying the Angelus he will return to the archbishopric where, in the afternoon, he will meet with members of the "Milano Famiglie 2012" foundation and with the organisers of his visit.
At 5.30 p.m. the Holy Father will bid farewell to the authorities at Linate airport before boarding his return flight to Rome.
The World Meetings of Families trace their origins back to 1981 when Blessed John Paul II promulgated the Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris consortio" and established the Pontifical Council for the Family.
The first meeting was held in Rome in 1994 and they have been taking place every three years since then. Their purpose is to celebrate the divine gift of family, to bring families together to pray, and to increase understanding of the role of the Christian family as a domestic Church and the basic cell of evangelisation.
Benedict XVI attended the V Encounter in Valencia, Spain, in July 2005, but skipped the VI Encounter held in Mexico City in January 2009 on his physicians' advice. Mexico City's 12,000-ft altitude would pose a health risk for the octogenarian Pope who has been taking medications for a heart condition since the 1990s.
NB: I believe this will be the first time a Pope will have gone to an opera house - and to attend a performance (though not of an opera).
Daniel Barenboim will conduct the concert.
P.S. 2/28/12 (PM)
CORRECTION to my my wrroneous supoosition above: An article in the Milan edition of La Repubblica says John Paul II came to La Scala in May 1983. And that the program for Benedict XVI in June will feature Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
ATTENDANCE OF THE HOLY FATHER
VII WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES, MILAN
June 1-3, 2012
P R O G R A M
Friday, June 1
17.00 Arrival at Linate airport, Milan
Welcome by the authorities
The Pope travels by car from the airport to Piazza Duomo in the city center.
17.30 GREETING TO THE CITIZENS OF MILAN
Piazza Duomo
- Address by the Holy Father
The Holy Father then proceeds to the Archbishop's Residence.
19.15 Proceed by car to Teatro alla Scala
19.30 CONCERT IN HONOR OF THE HOLY FATHER
Teatro alla Scala
After the concert, he returns by car to the Archbishop's Residence.
Saturday, June 2
09.50 The Holy Father leaves the Archbishop's residence for the Duomo (Cathedral)
10.00 CELEBRATION OF LAUDS
with the priests and religious of the Archdiocese
- Meditation by the Holy Father
After Lauds, the Holy Father proceeds by car to
the Stadio di San Siro (Milan's football stadium)
11.00 MEETING WITH YOUNG PERSONS PREPARING FOR CONFIRMATION
Stadio di San Siro
- Address by the Holy Father
The Pope then returns to the Archbishop's Residence.
17.00 MEETING WITH CIVILIAN AUTHORITIES
Archbishop's Residence
- Address by the Holy Father
20.00 Proceed by car to Milano Parco Nord -Bresso Airport
20.30 MEETING WITH FAMILIES
FEAST OF TESTIMONIALS
Milano Parco Nord-Bresso
21.30 The Pope leaves Milano Parco Nord by car to return to the Archbishop's Residence
Sunday, June 3
09.15 The Holy Father leaves the Archbishop's Residence for Milano Parco Nord
10.00 EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION
Milano Parco Nord-Bresso
- Homily by the Holy Father
12.00 ANGELUS
- Message by the Holy Father
He leaves Milano Parco Nord by car to return to the Archbishop's residence.
16.30 Meeting with members of the Fondazione Milano Famiglie 2012 and
the organizers of the visit
Archbishop's Residence
17.00 He leaves the Archbishop's Residence and proceeds by car to Milan Linate airport.
17.30 The Holy Father bids goodbye to his hosts at the plane steps,
before boarding the plane for Rome
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 29/02/2012 04:42]