Portugal trip shapes up
as a 4-day event May 11-14
to Lisbon, Fatima and Oporto
Translated from
News agency of the Portuguese Bishops' Conference
The proposed program for Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Portugal next year is now in his hands for approval, with a May 11-14 itinerary that will cover Lisbon, Fatima and Oporto.
This was disclosed by the Portuguese bishops' conference (CEP) which said that the Pope would definitely arrive in Lisbon on May 11 and depart back for Rome on May 14.
Mons. Jose Ortiga, president of the CEP and Archbishop of Braga said that the bishops have sent the Pope a proposed program with 'a choice of various initiatives'.
Dom Ortiga said there will be liturgical celebrations and meetings in various places, to include meetings with the world of culture, of social-charitable work, and with priests and pastoral workers.
In Fatima, where the Pope is expected to be on May 13, the anniversary of the 1917 Marian apparitions, he said that the Pope's program would follow the 'usual schedule' of the annual celebration.
He said that Mons. Manuel Clemente, Bishop of Oporto, had formally requested the Holy Father to 'allow some room' on his program for a visit to Oporto.
He also said that the 'civilian' part of the program, which would include official meetings with the President of Portugal and other government leaders, still has to be defined.
In their final statement following their plenary assembly this week, the Portuguese bishops expressed their joy at the coming papal visit. and called on the faithful for "a renewal of faith and of bearing witness to justice and charity at a time when so many of our brothers and sisters are undergoing great difficulties".
They expressed the hope that the visit would "not be a fleeting event" but that initiatives in preparations for the visit should look to a continuation after it "to concretize the messages that the Pope will give us".
The bishops have named the Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon, Mons. Carlos Azevedo, as general coordinator for the papal visit. The liturgical director for the Diocese of Leiria-Fatima, Fr. Carlos Cabecinhas, will be in charge of liturgies, and communications will be under the direction of Fr. Manuel Morujao, secretary and spokesman of the CEP.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 14/11/2009 13:33]