11-November-2006 -- Vatican Information Service


VATICAN CITY, NOV 11, 2006 (VIS) - Made public today was the program of the Pope's forthcoming apostolic trip to Turkey, which is due to take place from November 28 to December 1.

At 9 a.m. on November 28, the Holy Father will depart from Rome's Fiumicino airport bound for Ankara, where he is due land at Esenboga international airport at 1 p.m. On arrival, he will visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, after which the welcome ceremony will take place. Pope Benedict will then pay a courtesy visit to the president of the republic before meeting with the vice prime minister, the president for religious affairs and the diplomatic corps.

On Wednesday, November 29, Benedict XVI is due to celebrate Mass at Ephesus. That afternoon he will travel to Istanbul where he will visit the patriarchal church of St. George and hold a private meeting with His Holiness Bartholomew I, ecumenical patriarch.

The following day, November 30, the Holy Father will participate in the divine liturgy at the patriarchal church of St. George, where he will pronounce an address and sign a joint declaration with His Holiness Bartholomew I. The Pope will then go on to visit the museum of Santa Sophia, and the Armenian cathedral where he will meet with His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian patriarch of Istanbul.

Later the same day, he will meet the Syro-Orthodox patriarch and the chief rabbi of Turkey. That evening, he is scheduled to dine with members of the Catholic episcopal conference.

On Friday, December 1, the Holy Father will celebrate Mass in Istanbul's cathedral of the Holy Spirit before travelling to the city's airport where the departure ceremony will take place. The papal plane will take off at 1.15 p.m., and is due to arrive in Rome at 2.45 p.m.