The flight from Rome will last 15 hours and 45 minutes and will arrive at Richmond airbase near Sydney at 3 p.m. local time on Sunday, July 13.
Descending from the aircraft, the Pope will be greeted on the tarmac by Kevin Rudd, prime minister of Australia, Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, and other civil and religious authorities. He will then travel by car to the Kenthurst Study Centre, a private house for retreats and formation belonging to the Prelature of Opus Dei, where he will spend the time privately until the evening of Wednesday, July 16.
The Pope's visit to Australia will officially begin Thursday morning with a welcome ceremony in the presence of the authorities at Government House in Sydney, where he will deliver his first discourse. Following the ceremony he will travel to the Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel for a moment of prayer, before moving on to Admiralty House for a meeting with the Australian prime minister.