(Prague, August 2009) Pope Benedict XVI will visit the Czech Republic in September for the first time during his pontificate. After arriving in Prague (26 Sept), the Pope will celebrate mass in Brno (27 Sept) and meet with a group of young people in Stará Boleslav (28 Sept).
Benedict XVI comes to the Czech Republic as the head of the Roman Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State and thus will meet with clergy members, politicians and the public during his visit.
On 26 September 2009, the first day of his trip, the Pope will visit the Church of Our Lady of Victory (home of the famed Infant Jesus of Prague) and in the afternoon will meet with President Václav Klaus at Prague Castle. In the evening, he will hold a prayer service at St. Vitus' Cathedral with priests and monks.
Worshipers will be able to listen to the Holy Father the following two days in either Brno or Stará Boleslav. Holy mass at the Brno-Tuřany Airport will begin on 27 September 2009 at 10 a.m. followed by a sermon from His Holiness. Afterwards, the Pope will return to Prague.
On Monday, 28 September, the Pope will first visit the Basilica of St. Wenceslaus in Stará Boleslav and will celebrate mass starting at 9:45. This church is part of the National Pilgrimage to St. Wenceslaus, in remembrance of the Czech Prince Wenceslaus who was slain by his brother at that exact location in Stará Boleslav in the 10th century. After mass, the Pope will meet with a group of young people. Stará Boleslav is located less than 30 km from Prague.
Pope Benedict XVI will say his farewell to the Czech Republic with a brief ceremony at the Prague airport at 5:15 p.m. and is scheduled to return to Rome at 5:45.
People thus will have two opportunities to see and hear the Pope in the Czech Republic. Tickets for both the mass in Brno and that in Stará Boleslav may be reserved free of charge till 31 August at www.navstevapapeze.cz, where you will also find all the details about the Holy Father's visit in Czech, English, German, Italian and Polish.
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