Schedule released for Pope's September trip to Lebanon
July 03, 2012
The Vatican has released the full schedule for the September 14-16 visit by Pope Benedict XVI to Lebanon, where he will release his apostolic exhortation concluding the work of the Synod for the Middle East.
The Holy Father will leave Rome on Friday morning, September 14, for Beirut. Arriving early in the afternoon, he will go to the basilica of St. Paul in Harissa, where he will sign the apostolic exhortation.
The papal document will summarize and reflect upon the discussions held by the Synod of Bishops in October 2010. That special meeting of the Synod was dedicated to the challenges facing the Church in the Middle East.
On Saturday, September 15, the Pope will pay a courtesy visit to the presidential palace, meet with Islamic leaders, and deliver an address to the country’s political and religious leaders. After lunch with members of the Lebanese Catholic hierarchy, he will speak to a gathering of young people at the headquarters of the Maronite Catholic patriarchate in Bkerke.
On Sunday, September 16, the Pope will celebrate Mass at a park on the Beirut waterfront, and formally release his apostolic exhortation. After an ecumenical assembly in the afternoon, he will take an evening flight back to Rome.
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