Thursday 18 August
Departure at 9.30 from the Rome airport of Ciampino for the Madrid Barajas International Airport where the landing is expected at 12.00. At 19.15 on the programme is a walk by the Holy Father with some young people from the Puerta de Alcalá to the Madrid Plaza de Independencia. Afterwards there will be the Welcoming of the young people in the  Madrid  Plaza de Cibeles  and the address of the Hoy Father.

Friday19 August
The Pope will celebrayte Mass in private in the chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature in Madrid. At 10.00 there ia a courtesy call on the Spanish Royal Family in the Palace de la Zarzuela. At 11.30 there is to be  a meeting with young religious in the Patio de los Reyes de El Escorial and during the following half hour with young university students in the Basilica of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
Afterwards there will be  lunch with the young people in the Ambassadors’ Hall at the Madrid  Apostolic Nunciature. At 17.30 an offiicial meeting with the Head of the Government Mr José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. At 19.30 the Pope will preside at the Way of the Cross  with the young people in the Plaza de Cibeles.

Saturday 20 August
At 9.00 Benedict XVI will hear the confessions of some young people from the WYD in the  Jardines del Buen Retíro. At 10.00 the Pope willl celebrate Mass with the Seminarians in the Madrid Cathedral of Santa María la Real de la Almudena. At 17.00, in the Madrid Apostolic Nunciature there will be a meeting with the Organising Committee of the XXVI WYD.  At 19.40 Benedict XVI will visit the Fundación Istituto San José. At 20.30 Benedict XVI will preside at a Prayer Vigil with the young people at the Madrid Cuatro Vientos airport.

Sunday 21 August
At 9.30 Benedict XVI will preside at Mass  for the  XXVI World Youth Day at the Madrid Cuatro Vientos Airport and then say the `Angelus’. At 12.45 he will have lunch with the Cardinals of Spain and the Papal  entourage at the Apostolic Nunciature.
At  17.00 the Pope will meet the XXVI WTYD volunteers in the Pavilion 9 of the new Madrid Fair -IFEMA. At 18.30, there will be the farewell ceremony at the Madrid Barajas International Airport and at 19.00 the Pope will leave for Rome, where his arrival is expected at 21.30.

As the Madrid appointment approaches preparations are intensifying. The volunteers of the Salesian Youth Movement renew their appeal to the Salesian groups who are taking part  in the WYD and to those staying at home to share in the activities taking place through the site www.bosco2011.com

Published 28/06/2011