(December 29, 2011) A spokesman for the Mexican bishops' conference confirmed details
of Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to Mexico originally published by the newspaper
Reforma, which reported the papal visit would occur March 23-26. Father Manuel Corral,
the Spokesman stressed that details of the visit "are not official," since Vatican
has not made any official announcement of the programme. However he said the Pope
would only visit the state of Guanajuato and its environs in west-central Mexico.
Father Corral said specific details of the visit would likely be made public before
the end of the year. Reforma, citing comments from the president of the bishops' conference,
Archbishop Carlos Aguiar Retes of Tlalnepantla, reported that Pope Benedict would
celebrate Mass March 25 at the Parque Guanajuato Bicentenario in Silao, near the city
of Leon and 220 miles northwest of Mexico City. Pope Benedict also is expected to
visit Cuba during his trip, the first to both countries since he was elected in 2005.