MALTA BISHOPS ANNOUNCE
APRIL 17-18 DATES
FOR PAPAL VISIT NEXT YEAR
Pope Benedict XVI will visit Malta on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th April 2010, on the occasion of the 1950th anniversary of St Paul’s shipwreck.
The Pope will arrive in Malta on Saturday afternoon and return to Rome Sunday evening. On arrival, His Holiness will hold meetings with the highest Civil Authorities and then visit St. Paul’s Grotto in Rabat.
On Sunday morning the Pope will celebrate Mass on the Granaries, in Floriana and he will then meet youths at the Valletta Waterfront in the afternoon.
The possibility of Pope Benedict’s visit was announced on September 12th when it was communicated that His Holiness might visit Malta in April next year. The Bishops of Malta and the President of the Republic had previously invited His Holiness to visit Malta.
Further details of the Pope’s visit will be announced in due course.
CYPRUS DATE PENDING
With the announcement by the Portuguese bishops yesterday that the Holy Father's visit to Portugal will take place May 11-14, 2010, the date still has to be announced for the third papal trip abroad in 2010 known so far - Cyprus.
The announcement of the trip made Oct. 1 mentioned a probable June date. Cyprus is part of the Jerusalem diocese, and the Custody of the Holy Land is responsible for the pastoral care of three cities (Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia) as well as several chapels there.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 14/11/2009 16:22]