Pope Benedict’s schedule for Portuguese visit

(March 26, 2010) On his first visit to Portugal, Pope Benedict XVI will meet political leaders and celebrate Masses in three cities, including at the famous Marian shrine in Fatima. The Vatican on Thursday released the details of the Pope’s May 11-14 apostolic visit to Portugal, which will mark the 10th anniversary of the beatification of Blessed Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the 3 shepherd children to whom the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared several times in 1917. Pope Benedict will arrive in the Portuguese capital Lisbon, where he will meet civil authorities and celebrate an outdoor Mass. He will travel to Fatima on May 12 for a series of encounters with bishops, priests, religious and other pastoral workers and celebrate a Mass at the shrine the next day. The pontiff will visit and celebrate Mass in Porto on May 14, from where he will return to Rome. Pope Benedict's visit to Fatima will be the fifth by a pontiff. Paul VI was the first, in 1967. The shrine was particularly dear to Pope John Paul II, who in a visit in 2000 beatified Francisco and Jacinta, who died in childhood. In 2008 Pope Benedict beatified Lucia, who later became a nun and died in 2005 at age 97.