According to the draft itinerary released by the Vatican Radio on Saturday, the Pontiff is set to make a five-day trip to Poland in July for the 31st World Youth Day. He will be in the central European nation from July 27-31.
The Pontiff will arrive at the Krakow-Balice airport on Wednesday, July 27. His first meetings will be with the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda and the Polish bishops. Much later during the day, he will be meeting with the Archbishop of Krakow.
On July 28, the Holy Father is scheduled to visit the third-largest Catholic Pilgrimage site in the world and home to the beloved miraculous icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa – Monastery of Jasna Gora. The Monastery is also the center of Polish Catholicism, there he will say Mass for the 1,050th anniversary of the baptism of Poland.
On the third day of his trip, Friday July 29 the Pope will visit Auschwitz, the infamous German camp, where 1.1 million Jews and 70,000 gentile Poles, among others, were exterminated from1940 to 1945. much later, he will celebrate the Stations of the Cross in Krakow.
Saturday, July 30 Pope Francis will visit the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Krakow-Lagiewniki, passing through its Holy Door and visiting a chapel around where St. Faustina Kowalska, an apostle of Divine Mercy was buried, there the Pontiff will say Mass with priests, religious, and seminarians, hear confessions, and lunch with some youth. That evening, there is a scheduled prayer vigil for the World Youth Day.
The Pope is expected to preside over Mass for World Youth Day on July 31. In the afternoon, he is to meet with the volunteers, organizing committee, and benefactors of World Youth Day. He will depart for Rome that same evening.
Pope Francis will be the first Non-European Pope to visit Nazi-death camp in Auschwitz, both of Francis’ predecessors, Pope Benedict, a German, and Pope John Paul, a native of Poland, visited Auschwitz during their pontificates..
