(26 Jan 09 - RV) Pope Benedict’s first trip to Africa will take him to two countries
– Cameroon and Angola.
In the schedule released on Monday, the Holy Father
is due to arrive in the Cameroon capital of Yaoundé at 4 pm on March 17th.
The next morning he will meet the bishops in the city’s Church of Christ the King.
The
Pope will celebrate Vespers with the bishops, clergy, religious, and members of Ecclesial
movements that afternoon, in a meeting which will include ecumenical representatives.
On
Thursday, the 19th, Pope Benedict will meet with representatives of Cameroon’s
large Musilm population at the Apostolic Nunciature, before celebrating Mass in the
Amadou Ahidjo stadium. During this celebration, the Instrumentum Laboris of
the 2nd Synod of Bishops for Africa will be presented.
That afternoon he will
meet with those suffering from illness at a local hospital, and then meet with members
of the council preparing for the upcoming Bishop’s synod.
The next day, Friday,
the Pope will leave for Angola, where he will arrive in Luanda shortly afternoon.
He will in the early evening meet with civil authorities and the Diplomatic corps
in the country’s presidential palace.
After this, he will meet with Angola’s
bishops in the chapel at the Apostolic Nunciature.
On Saturday morning, he
will celebrate Mass with the bishops, clergy, religious and ecclesial movements in
the Church of St. Paul. At 4:30 Saturday afternoon he will meet with African youth
at Stadio dos Coqueiros.
On Sunday morning he will celebrate Mass with bishops
attending the INTER-REGIONAL MEETING OF BISHOPS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, and then recite
the Angelus.
That evening, at the parish of Saint Anthony, Pope Benedict will
meet with ecclesial movments promoting the dignity of women at the Parish of Saint
Anthony.