Schedule released for Pope Francis in Sri Lanka and the Philippines (Jan 2015)

(Vatican Radio) The Schedule for the 2015 Apostolic Voyage of Pope Francis to Sri Lanka and the Philippines was released on Friday. Pope Francis will leave Rome on January 12, and return on January 19.

Archbishop Socrates Villegas, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, said at a press conference in Manila on Friday that Pope Francis is bringing the “joy of Gospel personally, to us, on the five special days in January that we have officially announced.”

But the bishops reiterated that the papal visit “carries a message of pastoral love, mercy and compassion” and it is “through the understanding and living out of this message that the grace will flow.”

The Apostolic Voyage of Pope Francis to Sri Lanka and the Philippines (12-19 January 2015)

Programme

Monday 12 January 2015

19:00 Departure from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for Colombo

Tuesday 13 January 2015

09:00 Arrival at the International Airport in Colombo

Welcoming Ceremony(Speech by Pope Francis)

13:15 SPEECH TO THE BISHOPS OF SRI LANKA

At the Archdiocese of Colombo

17:00 COURTESY VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

At the Presidential Residence

18:15 INTERRELIGIOUS MEETING at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall

(Speech by Pope Francis)

Wednesday 14 January 2015

08:30 Holy Mass and Canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz at Galle Face Green in Colombo

(Homily by Pope Francis)

14:00 Transfer by helicopter to Madhu

15:30 MARIAN PRAYER at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary at Madhu

(Speech by Pope Francis)

16:45 Transfer by Helicopter to Colombo

Thursday 15 January 2015

08:15 Visit to the Chapel “Our Lady of Lanka” at Bolawalana

08:45 Departure Ceremony from the International Airport of Colombo

09:00 Departure by plane from Colombo to Manila

17:45 Arrival from Sri Lanka – Villamor Air Base, Manila

Motorcade to the Apostolic Nunciature – Taft Avenue, Manila

Friday, January 16, 2015

9:15 Welcome Ceremony – Malacañan Palace, Manila

10:15 Meeting with Civil Authorities and the Diplomatic Corps (Speech by Pope Francis)

Motorcade to the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Manila Cathedral)

11:15 Mass with Bishops, Priests, and Religious – Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Manila (Homily by Pope Francis)

Motorcade to the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay

17:30 Encounter with Families – Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay (Speech by Pope Francis)

Saturday, January 17, 2015

08:15 Departure for Archdiocese of Palo – Villamor Air Base

09:30 Arrival at Tacloban Airport

10:00 Holy Mass – Tacloban Airport (Homily by Pope Francis)

12:45 Lunch with the Poor and Survivors of Calamities at Gonzagahaus (Residence of the Archbishop of Palo) – Palo, Leyte

15:00 Blessing of the Pope Francis Center for the Poor – Palo, Leyte

15:30 Meeting with the Priests and Religious at Cathedral of Our Lord’s Transfiguration (Palo Cathedral) – Palo, Leyte (Speech by Pope Francis)

17:00 Departure for Manila

18:15 Arrival at Manila – Villamor Air Base

Sunday, January 18, 2015

09:45 Brief Meeting with the Religious Leaders

10:30 Encounter with the Youth – Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila (Speech by Pope Francis)

Motorcade to Rizal Park, Manila

15:30 Concluding Mass, Rizal Park, Manila (Homily by Pope Francis)

Monday, January 19, 2015

09:45 Departure Ceremony at Villamor Air Base

10:00 Departure for Rome – Villamor Air Base

17:40 Arrival at Rome’s Ciampino Airport