Intense programme for Apostolic visit to Rio de Janeiro / Précisions sur le programme de Rio

In a press conference held this morning, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Federico Lombardi S.J., presented information on Pope Francis' imminent apostolic visit to Rio de Janeiro for the 28th World Youth Day. Fr. Lombardi reviewed the Holy Father's programme for the week he will spend in Brazil, explaining that this journey is “particularly significant in his continent, and this naturally lends it a particular sense of anticipation and participation”.

“As we know”, Fr. Lombardi continued, “it was not his decision to make his first trip to Latin America, but rather it was his predecessor Benedict XVI who had confirmed that World Youth Day would be held in Brazil, and had confirmed that 'the Pope' would be present, as at all the World Youth Days, even though the Pope in this case would not have been him. Therefore, Pope Francis is assuming the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI's pontificate in making this trip. You will recall that practically the same thing happened at the last change of pontificate: Benedict XVI's first trip was to Germany, his homeland, to Cologne for the World Youth Day decided by his predecessor John Paul II”.

“The trip had already been decided but the programme has also been adapted, we might indeed say intensified and enriched with further events with the change of pontificate. The plan that had been drawn up for Pope Benedict XVI was less demanding, whereas with Pope Francis, some elements have been added, such as the pilgrimage to Aparecida, or the vist to the favelas, to the hospital, the meeting with the Comite de Celam. There are elements which were not scheduled in the first programme for the trip, intended for Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Francis has maintained the same days – that is, the trip was expected to take place from 22 to 29 July even before the change of pontificate – but more events have been planned for this period, especially the pilgrimage to Aparecida which will occupy a day that had in the previous draft programme been intended as a day of rest”.

“Of course, the Holy Father was invited by the bishops who organised and promoted the World Youth Day”, added Fr. Lombardi: Orani Tempesti, archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, and Cardinal Damasceno Assis, president of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, and naturally also by the president Dilma Rousseff, “who came to the Vatican “for the inauguration of the pontificate and who met Francesco the following day, explicitly inviting him to Brazil. The Pope confirmed immediately, just a few days after his election, that he intended to travel to Brazil for World Youth Day, and this helped to speed up preparations”.

 

*****

Ce midi, le P. Federico Lombardi, s.j. a fourni à la presse quelques précisions sur le programme du séjour papal à Rio de Janeiro. Reprenant le calendrier publié ces jours-ci, le Directeur de la Salle de Presse du Saint-Siège a d'abord tenu à souligner qu'il s'agira d'un événement particulièrement important pour l'Amérique latine impliquant un caractère particulier tant en matière d'attentes que de participation: La décision d'effectuer ce voyage en Amérique du Sud a été prise par Benoît XVI qui avait annoncé que les JMJ 2013 se dérouleraient au Brésil. Le Pape François entend donc y prendre part comme ont fait ses prédécesseurs, tout comme Benoît XVI s'est rendu en 2005 aux JMJ de Cologne, qui avait été fixée par le défunt Jean-Paul II. Certes, le programme de ce séjour brésilien a quelque peu subi des corrections en fonction du nouveau Pape. Il était initialement plus léger et le Saint-Père a décidé de consacrer la journée de repos initiale à un pèlerinage au sanctuaire marial d'Aparecida et à la visite de la favela de Varginha, à la visite de l'hôpital San Francisco de Assis et à une rencontre avec le Comité du CELAM. Ceci n'a pas modifié le calendrier initial du séjour, qui se déroulera du 22 au 29 juillet.

Le Pape a été invité par l'Archevêque de Rio et la Conférence épiscopale brésilienne d'une part, de l'autre par la Présidente Dilma Rousseff, venue à Rome pour l'inauguration du pontificat et pour l'inviter personnellement au Brésil. Le Pape François ayant très vite confirmé sa disponibilité, il a été possible d'accélérer les préparatif du voyage papal.