Pope: VII World meeting of Families

Milan, Italy’s economic hub, is the host city for the VII World Meeting on the theme The Family: Work and Celebration. From Wednesday May 30th to Sunday June 3rd, it will welcome Catholic families from around the globe to celebrate together the vocation to family life and its specific role within the life of the universal Church. Listen to Emer McCarthy's report:

Activities include a theological pastoral congress, an international family fair, workshops and liturgies of prayer and adoration. But without doubt, the defining moment for many taking part will be the opportunity to pray and witness together to family life in the presence of the Pope.

The Holy Father is scheduled to arrive in Milan on the evening of Friday June 1^st. His first public appointment a Friday evening address to participants before Milan’s Duomo, dedicated to Our Lady, whose statue holds vigil over the city from the crown of the majestic Cathedral.

From there the Pope will make the short trip to another iconic building synonymous with Italian culture: La Scala Opera House. There - in the theatre once home to the giant’s of Italian Opera such composers Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini – Pope Benedict whose passion for classical music is widely known, will attend a concert in his honour with the official delegations to the World Meeting of Families.

The following morning, the Pope pray the Hora Media" at the cathedral with priests, religious and laity from the diocese, during which he will read a meditation and venerate the relics of the iconic Cardinal and son of Lombardy, St. Charles Borromeo.

Just before midday, in Meazza Soccer Stadium home to ACMilan footbal club, the Pope is scheduled to speak to and pray the Angelus with children who are being confirmed. Later that evening, he will meet with civil authorities in the Archbishop’s residence and, just after sunset, will address the participants of the "Celebration of Witnesses" that will take place in the metropolitan park of Bresso.

Bresso Park will also be the location for the great concluding Mass on Sunday, 3 June, at 10:00am, his final public appointment before his return to Rome that evening.