VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 27, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI will preside at a canonization Mass and make at least one pastoral visit within Italy in October, and in November he will make his second international trip to Africa, reports the Vatican.
Today, the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff published the Pope’s event schedule for the months of October and November.
Missing from the schedule is the previously announced pilgrimage to Assisi on Oct. 27, which will mark the 25th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace, convoked by Pope John Paul II in 1986. The day is being organized under the title “Pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace.”
On Jan. 1, Benedict XVI convoked the meeting and invited “Christian brothers of different confessions, exponents of religious traditions of the world and, ideally, all men of good will, to join in this journey to recall that historic gesture willed by my predecessor and to renew solemnly the commitment of believers of every religion to live their own religious faith as service for the cause of peace.”
The schedule does mention that Benedict XVI will preside at a prayer event Oct. 26 in St. Peter’s Square, which will serve as a vigil for the interreligious event.
On Oct. 9, the Holy Father will make a pastoral visit to Lamezia Terme and Serra San Bruno, Italy.
The next Sunday, Oct. 16, he will preside at the Mass for the New Evangelization in St. Peter’s Basilica.
On Sunday, Oct. 23, the Holy Father will celebrate the canonization Mass of Guido Maria Conforti, Luigi Guanella and Bonifacia Rodriguez de Castro.
All Souls
Benedict XVI will have a busy start the first week of November, beginning with a prayer service Nov. 2 for All Souls Day, to be held in the Vatican Grottoes.
The next day, on Nov. 3, the Holy Father will preside at a Mass for cardinals and bishops who died over the course of the year.
On Friday, Nov. 4, the Pontiff will preside at vespers in the Vatican Basilica for the beginning of the academic year in the Pontifical universities.
Two weeks later, on Nov. 18, the Pope will head to Benin for a three-day visit to the African country.
