Pope Benedict XVI's itinerary for visit to Holy Land

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI will visit the Wailing Wall, Jerusalem's Square of Mosques, the Grotto of the Nativity and Nazareth during his trip to the Holy Land May 8-15.

Friday, May 8: Arrive at Amman, Jordan. His first stop will be at the city's "Regina Pacis" Center.

Saturday, May 9: Visit the Moses Memorial on Mount Nebo, the place where tradition states that Moses saw the Promised Land from a distance. That same day he will bless the cornerstone of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem's Madaba University, visit the Hashemite Museum and the Mosque of al-Hussein bin Talal in Amman, and then meet with Muslim religious leaders, the diplomatic corps and rectors of Jordanian universities.

Sundy, May 10: Benedict XVI will preside at a multitudinous Mass at the International Stadium in Amman. That afternoon the Pope will visit Bethany Beyond the Jordan, site of the Lord's Baptism, where he will bless the cornerstones of the Latin and Greek-Melkite churches.

Monday, May 11:, Leave Jordan and travel by plane to Tel Aviv, Israel. He will first visit Jerusalem. ,He will make a courtesy visit to the president of Israel at the presidential palace in Jerusalem. Subsequently he will visit the Yad Vashem Memorial and hold a meeting with organizations for interreligious dialogue.

Tuesday, May 12: Visit the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and meet the Grand Mufti. According to tradition, it is the third most holy place of Islam, after Mecca and Medina. It is also a sacred place for Jews, as the heart of the Old Temple of Jerusalem is located there.

He will also visit the Western Wall and meet with the two Chief Rabbis of Israel at the Hechal Shlomo Centre.

At midday he is due to pray the Regina Coeli with ordinaries of the Holy Land in the Cenacle of Jerusalem and to make a brief visit to the co-cathedral of the Latins. That afternoon he will celebrate Mass in the Valley of Josaphat.

Wednesday, May 13: The Pope go to Bethlehem where he will celebrate Mass in Manger Square and visit the Aida Refugee Camp.

Thursday, May 14: , Benedict XVI will go to Galilee, specifically to Nazareth, where he will visit the grotto of the Annunciation, and later meet with the Prime Minister of Israel. He will celebrate Mass on the Mount of the Precipice, where tradition states that his countrymen tried to hurl Jesus after he preached in the Synagogue.

Before returning to Rome on Friday, May 15, the Holy Father is scheduled to meet with the Greek-Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem, as well as with the patriarch of the Armenian Church.
[Source: Zenit, Catholic news agency]