SÃO PAULO
The first overseas trip of Pope Francis’s papacy, which began in March, has already seen the Pontiff greet thousands of pilgrims in central Rio, and will also include a visit to Aparecida in São Paulo state, a tour of Rio’s Varginha favela (shanty town) and the Vigil ceremony and Final Mass in Guaratiba in the city’s West Zone.
Here's the schedule of events planned for Pope Francis and the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims coming to Rio for World Youth Day (WYD) 2013:
Tuesday, July 23
World Youth Day will be officially inaugurated by the Opening Mass set to take place on the world-famous Copacabana Beach. The mass will be led the Archbishop of Rio, Orani Tempesta, and will include musical performances.
However, this will be the only main WYD event not attended by Pope Francis. After a long flight from Italy and events already held on Monday – the official welcoming from President Rousseff and greeting pilgrims in a parade through central Rio – the Pope has no official engagements on Tuesday and is set to spend the day at the hilltop residence of the Rio Archdiocese in the Sumaré area of Rio in private meetings and masses.
Wednesday, July 24
Pope Francis is expected to leave Rio and travel by army helicopter to the heart of São Paulo state to visit the city of Aparecida, where he will visit the Sanctuary Chapel to see the preserve holy image of the Virgin Mary, venerated by Roman Catholics in Brazil.
The city is home to Brazil’s patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida.
Pope Francis will return to Rio de Janeiro in the evening, where he is scheduled to visit São Francisco de Assis Hospital to inaugurate a treatment centre for crack addicts.
Thursday, July 25
On Thursday morning, Pope Francis will visit Rio’s city government buildings, receive the Keys of the City, and bless the Olympics flags. Rio is playing host to the 2016 Summer Olympics.
He will then travel to tour Varginha favela in Rio’s North Zone.
Only at this juncture, in the second half of Thursday, will the Pope finally greet pilgrims en masse in the main welcome parade in the upmarket area of Copacabana. The Pope is expected to use his open-air “Popemobile” to greet for the first time over a million people who have travelled to Rio for the WYD festival.
Friday, July 26
The Pope is expected to hear confessions on Friday, as well as meet with prisoners.
He will take lunch with two young people from each continent at the São Joaquim Palace.
The Pontiff will also travel to the Archbishop’s resident, and watch a performance of Via Sacra in Copacabana in the evening.
Saturday, July 27
In the final full day of the Pope’s week-long visit to Brazil, the Pontiff will meet and celebrate mass with bishops, priests and seminaries at the São Sebastião Cathedral in central Rio.
He will then go to the city’s Municipal Theatre to meet politicians, and then attend a special lunch with cardinals and bishops from the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB).
On Saturday afternoon, Pope Francis will go to Guaratiba to preside over on WYD’s main events, the much-anticipated Vigil at the Campus Fidei (Field of Faith) – a venue created especially for the WYD.
Sunday, July 28
Before heading back to Italy, Pope Francis will take part in the Final Mass, which President Rousseff is expected to attend and at the end of which the location of the next WYD will be revealed.
The Pope will also meet the thousands of WYD volunteers before beginning his journey back to Italy on Sunday evening.
