Pope's Schedule For June Visit To Ukraine

VATICAN, May 17, 01 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican has made public the official schedule for the trip by Pope John Paul II to Ukraine, June 23- 27.

The Holy Father will arrive in Kiev on Saturday, June 23. After a welcoming ceremony at the airport, he will pay a courtesy call on President Leonid Kuchma, then-- still at the presidential palace-- meet with a group of Ukrainian leaders from the worlds of politics, academe, industry, science, and the arts.

On Sunday, the Pope will celebrate Mass outdoors at the Chayka airport near Kiev, then meet with the country's Catholic bishops. Later in the day he will participate in an ecumenical meeting. That meeting will give him an opportunity to meet Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and Patriarch Filaret, also of Kiev-- two of the three Orthodox leaders who are contesting the leadership of that faith in Ukraine. On Monday he will celebrate the divine liturgy at the airport once again, this time according to the Byzantine rite, for a congregation that is expected to approach 400,000, before leaving for Lviv.

On Tuesday, June 26, the Pontiff will preside at the beatification of a group of Ukrainian martyrs of the 20th century. Then he will visit a seminary in Bryukhovychi and meet again with the Ukrainian bishops over lunch. In the afternoon he will play host to a gathering of young people.

Wednesday, June 27, will see another beatification ceremony, this time using the Byzantine rite. The two beatification ceremonies will involve 30 Ukrainian priests, religious, and laymen, most of them victims of the Nazi and Communist regimes. After a final meal with the Ukrainian bishops, he will leave for Rome in the afternoon.

Catholic World News Service - Vatican Update
17. mai 2001