The Holy See Press Office has released the programme of Benedict
XVI's forthcoming apostolic trip to Madrid, Spain, for the twenty-sixth
World Youth Day (WYD).
The Holy Father is due to depart by plane from Rome's Ciampino
airport at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday 19 August, landing at midday at Barajas
airport in Madrid where a welcome ceremony will take place.
At 7.15
p.m. that day he will join a group of young people to pass under the
Puerta de Alcala in the city's Plaza de Independencia, before moving on
to Plaza de Cibeles where youth from all over the world will be gathered
to greet him.
On Friday 19 August the Pope will celebrate Mass privately in the
chapel of the apostolic nunciature in Madrid then, at 10 a.m., pay a
courtesy visit to the Spanish king and queen in the Palacio de la
Zarzuela. At 11.30 a.m. he will attend a meeting with young religious
and another with young university professors at the basilica of San
Lorenzo de El Escorial.
At 5.30 p.m., having had lunch with young people at the apostolic
nunciature, Benedict XVI is scheduled to hold an official meeting with
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, prime minister of Spain. Later, at 7.30
p.m., the Pope will return to Plaza de Cibeles where he will preside at
the Way of the Cross.
On Saturday 20 August Benedict XVI will hear confession from a
number of young people in Madrid's Jardines del Buen Retiro before
celebrating Mass for seminarians at 10 a.m. in the cathedral of Santa
Maria la Real de la Almudena. At 5 p.m. that day he will meet with the
WYD organising committees at the apostolic nunciature then visit the
Fundacion Instituto San Jose. At 8.30 p.m. he will preside at a prayer
vigil with young people at the airport of Cuatro Vientos.
At 9.30 a.m. on Sunday 21 August, the Holy Father will preside at
the World Youth Day Mass at the airport of Cuatro Vientos, then pray the
Angelus. After the ceremony he will have lunch with Spanish cardinals
and the papal entourage at the apostolic nunciature.
The Holy Father is scheduled to leave the apostolic nunciature at 5
p.m. He will meet with WYD volunteers in the new Feria de Madrid -
IFEMA before travelling to the airport of Barajas where the departure
ceremony will take place at 6.30 p.m.
The papal plane will depart for
Rome at 7 p.m. where it is scheduled to land at 9.30 p.m.