November 26, 2010. The Pope will travel to Benin from November 18-20, 2011 as confirmed by the Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi.

The visit comes at the invitation of President Boni Yayi and the Episcopal Conference of Benin.

The trip will take place to mark the 150th  anniversary of the evangelization of the African country. While there, the Pope will deliver to the African bishops the apostolic exhortation of the Synod of Bishops on Africa.  This will include the conclusions from the meeting of bishops of Africa held in 2009 and is intended to be a pastoral guide for the Church in Africa for the coming years.

During his time there he will also commemorate the memory of Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, a close associate of John Paul II and a native of Benin.

This is the second trip to the African continent for Benedict XVI, the first was in 2009 when he visited Cameroon and Angola.

John Paul II visited Benin twice, first in 1982 and then again in 1993.

BR/AE