Vatican confirms schedule for Pope's first foreign trip of 2011
The Vatican has confirmed the final schedule of Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit
to Croatia, his first foreign trip of 2011. The Pope will travel to the central European
nation for two days on June 4th and 5th next.
Four Papal addresses and one
open air Mass are on the agenda for the visit, as well as a prayer vigil with young
people. Central to the first of the two days, the Holy Father's meeting with members
of civil society and the world of politics, culture, academics and business, scheduled
to be held in Zagreb's National Theatre of Croatia.
Later that evening, Pope
Benedict XVI will join young Croatian Catholics in Ban Jelačič square for a prayer
vigil, during which the Holy Father will speak directly to the young people.
Sunday
morning see's the celebration of the only Mass during the 2 day trip. Pope Benedict
XVI will mark the national family day with believers in the city's hippodrome. After
lunching with the Croatian bishops Pope Benedict will pray vespers with the priests
and religious of the national Church. He will also visit the tomb of Blessed Alojzije
Viktor Stepinac, a former archbishop of Zagreb who suffered persecution under communist
authorities in the mid-20th century. Pope Benedict commemorated the 50th anniversary
of Stepinac's death during the general audience last Feb. 10. Speaking in Croatian,
he remembered the bishop and martyr, "who sacrificed his life ... in testimony for
the faith." According to the 2001 census the majority of Croatians (87.8%) are Catholic.
Pope
Benedict XVI is scheduled to return to the Vatican the evening of Sunday June 5th.