The final details of
Pope Francis's trip to Georgia and Azerbaijan between September
30 and October 2 were announced on Monday.
The first stop will be in Tbilisi, where in the early
afternoon the pope will be meeting with the head of state at the
presidential palace and will greet authorities, the diplomatic
corps and civil society representatives.
He will later meet with Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II at the
patriarchate of Georgia and the Assyrian Chaldean community at
the Chaldean Catholic church of Saint Simon Bar Sabbae.
On Saturday, October 1, the pope will be officiating over
mass at the Meski stadium, followed by meetings with the clergy
and churchgoers and those working for and those receiving help
from Church charity. His last appointment of the day will be a
visit to the Svietyskhoveli Patriarchal Cathedral of Mskheta.
On Sunday, October 2, the pope will go by plane to Baku,
where he will receive an official welcome at the airport in
Azerbaijan. Following the official welcome, he will celebrate
holy mass in the Salesian centre in Baku.
After lunch with the Salesian community, he will attend the
protocol welcome ceremony in the presidential palace of Genclik,
and pay a courtesy visit to the head of state. In the afternoon
he will meet with the authorities in the Heydar Aliyev Centre,
to be followed by a private meeting with the Sheikh of the
Muslims of the Caucasus in the Heydar Aliyev Mosque, and a
private meeting with the Orthodox bishop of Baku and the
president of the Jewish community.
A total of 13 speeches and prayers will be made by the pope
during his three-day trip.
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