Pope Benedict XVI will stay with an archbishop in a church residence during his four-day visit to Sydney in July. The Pope's visit to Sydney for World Youth Day (WYD) celebrations are expected to involve a massive security and logistical exercise.
Releasing some details of the visit on Wednesday, NSW Deputy Premier John Watkins said the Pope would stay with the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, at the Catholic Church's residence next to Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral.
"When he's in Sydney he will be staying at St Mary's, at the house," Mr Watkins said.
Along with other visiting WYD dignitaries, the Pope will travel by boat to some Sydney locations and WYD events.
Apart from Randwick Racecourse, where he will conduct a mass, the Pope is likely to visit sites including the newly-named Barangaroo site in East Darling Harbour, the Domain, the Opera House and Centennial Park.
A spokesman for WYD said the Pope was expected to arrive at Barangaroo by boat for his official welcome.
But he said the program and arrangements for the visit would not be finalised and confirmed by the Holy See until shortly before WYD.
World Youth Day organisers have only 10 weeks exclusive access to Royal Randwick in which to transform the racecourse for the July 20 papal mass.
A stage to hold the Pope and 1,000 senior clergy as well facilities for the more than 300,000 people inside the racecourse must be built in that time.
Mr Watkins said the Randwick turf will be protected from pilgrims but replacement grass is being grown as a contingency.
He said the racetrack will be ready for racing again in time for the spring carnival.
More than one million pilgrims attended Longchamp racecourse in Paris for its World Youth Day, he said.
"They had racing up and running again three weeks later," Mr Watkins said.
"Now it's a different challenge here in Sydney, but we believe with the grass growing that's being done, and with the protection for the track that we are investing in, that we will also have racing up in time for the spring carnival."
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