Pope Francis' Packed Schedule During Four-day Bahrain Visit Includes A Public Mass And An Address To The Bahrain Forum For Dialogue

The Pontiff will also hold separate meetings with the King of Bahrain, the Grand Imam of Al- Azhar and Muslim Council of Elders, apart from attending various Catholic functions

Bahrain, October 7, 2022: His Holiness Pope Francis has a packed schedule during his four-day visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain starting November 3, 2022, according to the official program of the Apostolic Journey released by the Holy See in Rome.

After his arrival at Sakhir Air Base in Awali, Bahrain at 4:45 p.m., the Pope is due to pay a courtesy visit to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain, followed by a welcome ceremony in the courtyard of Sakhir Royal Palace. He will then have a meeting with the authorities, civil society and
the diplomatic corps.

A major highlight of the visit will be a public Holy Mass at the Bahrain National Stadium on Saturday, November 5 at 08:30 a.m., which will be attended by the Catholics of the Vicariate of Northern Arabia as well as people from the surrounding areas. On the same day at 5:00 p.m., the Pope will attend a ‘Meeting with the Youth’ at Sacred Heart School, Bahrain.

The Pontiff will address the closing of the "Bahrain Forum For Dialogue: East and West For Human Coexistence" on Friday, November 4, at 10:00 a.m. at Al-Fida' Square of Sakhir Royal Palace, which will be attended by leaders of different religions and dignitaries.

On the same day early evening, Pope Francis will have a private meeting with the Grand Imam of Al- Azhar in the Papal Residence within the grounds of Sakhir Royal Palace. This will be followed by a meeting with the members of the Muslim Council of Elders at the Mosque of Sakhir Royal Palace.

Later in the evening, the Pope will attend an Ecumenical Meeting and Prayer for Peace at Our Lady of Arabia Cathedral, Awali. On Sunday, November 6, the last day of the visit, the Pope is scheduled to attend a prayer meeting and Angelus with priests, consecrated persons, seminarians and pastoral workers at the Sacred Heart Church in Manama, which is also the first Church built in the Gulf.

Most of the events are By Invitation Only or closed-door functions. Only the Holy Mass on Saturday will be a public event. Catholics in Bahrain and from the other countries of the Vicariate of Northern Arabia are invited to attend this celebration of the Eucharist. Taking into account the limited spaces available,
a system of registration is being worked out together with the Government authorities. Details of the system are expected to be announced shortly.
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