February 13, 2013. (Romereports.com) The remaining
public and private events during the last two weeks of the
pontificate of Benedict XVI will be full of significance and emotion.
On Thursday, February 14, the Pope will meet with priests from Rome at Paul VI Hall, the last time he meets with clergy from the Eternal City.
For Friday, he will meet with the
president of Romania, and on Saturday with the president of
Guatemala, as well as the
Italian prime minister. Later that day, he will receive several Italian bishops.
On Sunday, following the Angelus at St. Peter's Square, the Pope will begin his spiritual exercises, which this year will be lead by Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi. They will last all week until the following Saturday. He will not have any public events throughout the entire week.
His farewell event will be the general audience on Wednesday, February 27. The Vatican is preparing for thousands of pilgrims to attend, and decided to move the event from Paul VI Hall to St. Peter's Square.
FR. FEDERICO LOMBARDI
Vatican Spokesperson
“Wednesday 27 will be the last general audience and it will take place as we had said, at St. Peter's Square, if the weather permits, at 10:30. It will be an important manifestation and we are expecting that many faithful will come.”
The morning of his last day as Pontiff, he will welcome the cardinals already in Rome at the Clementine Hall to personally bid them farewell.
Afterward, by 5 p.m. he will board a helicopter for his last trip as Pope.
FR. FEDERICO LOMBARDI
Vatican Spokesperson
“On the 28, at around five in the evening, the Pope will take off on helicopter to Castel Gandalfo. We already knew he would go to Castel Gandolfo, but now we know the exact time. Afterwards, the Sede Vacante will start at eight o'clock.”
From that moment, in that simple and scheduled time, the Church will begin a new, unprecedented chapter in its 2000 year history.
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