Pope Francis arrives in Tirana

The Pope met two children, one from northern and one from southern Albania, a symbolic greeting for the Holy Father. The Prime Minister handed over to the Pope a symbolic gift of the Albanian government, a cup with Albanian soil.

The Pope’s escort started driving to the Presidential Palace in Albania’s capital, Tirana, to attend the welcoming ceremony and meet with President Bujar Nishani.

At 11:00, the Pope will hold a Holy Mass together with 2 cardinals, 18 bishops, 240 ministers, 10 seminarists and 4 deacons.

The Pope shows a special care for the sick people, and some of them will stay at the Altar, together with young members from the dioceses of Montenegro, high representatives from the Catholic Church, high-rank officials, diplomatic representatives, devotees and people who have supported the church in these years.

At 13:30 the Pope will meet Albanian bishops and the papal retinue at the Apostolic Nunciature.

At the Apostolic Nunciature the Holy Father will meet the Minister of Interior, Saimir Tahiri, with a group of collaborators from the Ministry of Interior.

The Pope will meet the leaders of other religious communities at the Catholic University, “Zoja e Keshillit te Mire”. Valuing the religious harmony in Albania, the Pope expressed his desire to personally meet with the representatives of the religious communities in our country, the leaders of the Muslim, Orthodox, Bektashi, Catholic and Protestant religions.

The evening prayer will be held at the Cathedral of Tirana, at 17:00, where there will be 800 priests, nuns and various representatives.

The Pope’s last stop will be in Bubq, where he will meet the children of the “Bretania” center and a group of representatives from the Church’s charities in Albania.

The Pope will leave our country at 19:45.

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