Vatican City, Jul 19, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Earlier today, the Vatican released Pope Benedict’s official schedule for his August trip to Cologne, Germany for the 20th World Youth Day. His visit will include visits with civic and religious leaders as well as massive celebrations with over a million young people from around the world.
The Vatican said that after departing Rome's Ciampino airport at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 18, the Holy Father should land at the Cologne/Bonn International airport by noontime. There, he will attend a brief welcome ceremony before traveling by car to he archbishopric of Cologne.
Later in the afternoon, he will board a boat at the Rodenkirchenbrucke wharf, which will take him down the Rhine river to the Rheinwiesen wharf where he will be welcomed by the first groups of young people. He will then return to Cologne for the evening, after visiting the historic cathedral.
Friday’s schedule includes a short visit with Horst Kohler, president of the Federal Republic of Germany--which is home to over 27 million Catholics--whom the Holy Father will meet at 10:30 am at the Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn, where the Pope formerly taught theology.