Sydney Prepares for Pope's arrival in Australia

(July 12, 2008) Thousands of pilgrims converged on Sydney, Australia as the city braced itself Friday for the weekend arrival of the pope and the start of the World Youth Day festival, the biggest event held in Australia since the 2000 Olympics. After five years of planning, the massive Roman Catholic festival will finally commence Tuesday and run through Sunday, attracting more than 200,000 pilgrims to Sydney. Pope Benedict XVI’s airplane took off from Rome on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. bearing the Holy Father on his way to Australia for World Youth Day. The Pope’s ninth trip outside of Italy will begin with a three day vacation before he appears at World Youth Day. On his arrival the Pope will be greeted on the tarmac by Kevin Rudd, prime minister of Australia, Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, and other civil and religious authorities. He will then travel by car to the Kenthurst Study Centre, a private house for retreats and formation belonging to the Prelature of Opus Dei, where he will spend the time privately until the evening of Wednesday, July 16. He will then take a boat trip on Sydney Harbour, followed by a welcome ceremony and papal motorcade through downtown. Tens of thousands are expected to participate in a walking pilgrimage across Sydney's famed Harbour Bridge, and a re-enactment of the 12 Stations of the Cross in various parts of the city. The most momentous events of the trip will be the Saturday evening prayer vigil and the Mass on Sunday which the Pope will preside over at the Randwick Racecourse. Organizers estimate that 225,000 people will attend the 23rd World Youth Day and are expecting around 500,000 for the closing Mass.