Madrid, Spain, Feb 10, 2011 / 12:58 pm
World Youth Day 2011 organizers have published Pope Benedict XVI’s complete schedule of activities for the multi-day event, which will take place Aug. 18-21 in Madrid, Spain.
World Youth Day Madrid will kick off with a welcoming ceremony for the Pope in Cibeles Square. He will also visit the San Jose Institute Foundation, operated by the Brothers of St. John of God. The organization has provided care for the mentally and physically disabled since 1899.
On Aug. 19, Benedict XVI will meet with young university professors in the city's basilica. Carla Diez de Rivera, director of the Department of Culture for World Youth Day, said, “This meeting demonstrates the Pope’s predilection for universities and the world of culture.”
The Pope’s other activities will include a vigil with young people on Aug. 20 and a closing Mass on Aug. 21 at the Cuatro Vientos Airfield. The airfield is where John Paul II met with thousands of young people during his last trip to Spain.