September 28, 2010. According to the bishops of the Dominican Republic, the Pope will travel to the island in 2011. It would be the second trip of Benedict XVI to Latin America because in 2007 was in Brazil.

The main reason for this visit is the 500th anniversary of the founding of the first diocese in America. The Pope declared 2011 the Jubilee Year.

In fact, the president of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez Reyna, visited Benedict XVI on 21 May and invited him to visit the country.

A few months after the visit, the diocese of La Vega, the oldest of the island, began to prepare the place that could accommodate the Pope during his visit.

If confirmed, will be the fourth time a Pope visits the island. John Paul II visited on three occasions. The last was in 1992 when it celebrated the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America.