Schedule
(all times in Israel summer time - GMT+3)
Monday, 11 May 2009: Arrival and Official Welcome
- 11:00 - Arrival at Ben-Gurion International Airport (from Jordan). Official welcoming ceremony headed by President Shimon Peres
- 12:05 Arrival at Mount Scopus helipad, Jerusalem. Welcoming ceremony by Jerusalem Mayor, Nir Barkat.
- 16:00 - Visit to the President’s Residence
Celebratory reception ceremony, working meeting with President Shimon Peres, meeting with Noam Shalit, father of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, joint planting of a tree in the Presidential Garden, personal addresses, artistic program.
- 17:45 - Visit to Yad Vashem, Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Memorial. Memorial ceremony at the Remembrance Hall; Wreath laying; Address by the Pope.
- 18:45 - Interfaith meeting at Notre Dame Jerusalem Center
Tuesday, 12 May 2009: Jerusalem and Mass at Kidron Valley
- 09:15 - Visit the Temple Mount and meet with the Grand Mufti
- 10:00 - Visit the Western Wall accompanied by the Chief Rabbis of Israel
- 10:35 - Visit the Chief Rabbis at the Heichal Shlomo Synagogue
- 12:00 - Visit to the Church of Dormition; prayer at the Cenacle, site of the Last Supper.
- 12:30 - Visit and prayer at Latin Patriarch
- 16:15 - Visit Gethsemane Church and a solemn afternoon Mass at the Garden of Gethsemane
Wednesday, 13 May 2009: Bethlehem (Palestinian Authority)
- 09:30 - Welcoming ceremony with PA President Abbas
- 10:00 - Celebration of Mass at Manger Square
- 15:30 - Visit the Grotto of the Nativity
- 16:00 - Visit Caritas Baby Hospital , Bethlehem
- 16:45 - Visit Aida refugee camp, Bethlehem
- 17:30 - Departure ceremony, presidential palace, Bethlehem
Thursday, 14 May 2009: Nazareth
- 9:15 - Arrival in Nazareth, welcoming ceremony and the ceremony of bread and salt. Reception by Mayor of Nazareth.
- 10:00 - Mass at Mount of the Precipice
- 15:50 - Meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Church of the Annunciation.
- 16:30 - Meeting with the Faith Heads in Israel, Church of the Annunciation
- 17:00 - Visit Grotto of the Annunciation; Celebration of Vespers, Church of the Annunciation
- 17:30 - Meeting with Catholic leaders, Church of the Annunciation
Friday, 15 May 2009: Departure
- 9:15 - Meeting with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch
- 10:00 - Visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and prayer
- 11:00 - Meeting with Armenian Patriarch
- 13:10 - Depart from Mount Scopus helipad to airport
- 13:30 - Official farewell and ceremony at Ben-Gurion International Airport, including speeches by President Shimon Peres and Pope Benedict XVI