Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy See’s Press Office has issued the programme for Pope Benedict XVI apostolic journey to Turkey 28 November to 1 December.
On Tuesday 28 November the Pope will depart at 9am from Rome and arrive in Ankara, at 1pm. The day’s programme will include a visit to Atatürk Mausoleum, the welcome ceremony, a visit to the President of Turkey followed by meetings with the deputy prime minister, the president for religious affairs and the Diplomatic Corps.
On Wednesday 29 November the Pope will celebrate Mass at Ephesus, later in Istanbul, he will go to pray at the patriarchal Church of St Gorge followed by a private meeting with His Holiness Bartholomew I.
Thursday 30 November St Andrew’s Day, the Pope’s programme includes: Divine Liturgy at the patriarchal Church of St Gorge, visit to Saint Sophia’s Museum, visit to pray at the Apostolic Armenian Cathedral and meeting which His Beatitude Patriarch Mesrob II, meeting with Metropolitan Syro-Orthodox, meeting with the Grand Rabbi of Turkey, meeting and dinner with the members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Turkey.
On Friday 1 December the Pope will celebrate Mass in Holy Spirit Cathedral, and then after the farewell ceremony at 1.15pm he will depart for Rome.
Turkey has a population of 72,070,000; (32,000 Catholics; 0, 04 Catholics per 100 people); ecclesiastical circumscriptions 7; parishes 47; other pastoral centres 8; bishops (1.11.2006) 6; priests 68 (diocesan 13; religious 55); permanent deacons 4; Brothers 12; nuns 86; members of Lay Institutes 1; lay missionaries 7; catechists 28; major seminarians 5. Infant and primary schools 12, with 712 pupils; middle and secondary schools 10 with 4,124 students. Hospitals 4, dispensaries 5, Homes for the elderly, disabled and orphans 5, centres for special education and social rehabilitation 3. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 13/11/2006 - righe 24, parole 318)
