Milan, 4 July (LaPresse) – The flight carrying Pope Leo XIV, who is due to arrive in Lampedusa for his pastoral visit, took off at 7.49 this morning from Ciampino Airport. It is due to land at 9.00. The Pope will be welcomed by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Agrigento, Monsignor Alessandro Damiano; the President of the Sicilian Region, Renato Schifani; the Prefect of Agrigento, Salvatore Caccamo; the Mayor of Lampedusa, Filippo Mannino; and the President of the Free Municipal Consortium of Agrigento, Giuseppe Pendolino. Thirteen years after Pope Francis’s visit to the Pelagie Islands, his successor will travel by car to the cemetery in Lampedusa to lay flowers on the graves of migrants who died during their crossings. He will then proceed to the ‘Porta d’Europa’ – the southernmost point of the continent – where he will meet a migrant family, before moving on to the Favaloro Hospital for its dedication to Pope Francis. The programme for the pastoral visit includes a visit to the ‘Arena’ sports ground in Salina and Holy Mass at 10.00. An image of Our Lady of Porto Salvo will be displayed on the altar. At the end of the homily, Monsignor Damiano will give a speech of thanks. Prevost will meet with civil and military authorities, volunteers, priests and the sick at Lampedusa Town Hall before returning to the airport at around 12.30. The return flight is scheduled to land at Ciampino at 13.45.
The Pope in Lampedusa: the programme for the visit
Milan, 4 July (LaPresse) – The flight carrying Pope Leo XIV, who is due to arrive in Lampedusa for his pastoral visit, took off at 7.49 this morning from Ciampino Airport. It is due to land at 9.00. The Pope will be welcomed by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Agrigento, Monsignor Alessandro Damiano; the President of the Sicilian Region, Renato Schifani; the Prefect of Agrigento, Salvatore Caccamo; the Mayor of Lampedusa, Filippo Mannino; and the President of the Free Municipal Consortium of Agrigento, Giuseppe Pendolino. Thirteen years after Pope Francis’s visit to the Pelagie Islands, his successor will travel by car to the cemetery in Lampedusa to lay flowers on the graves of migrants who died during their crossings. He will then proceed to the ‘Porta d’Europa’ – the southernmost point of the continent – where he will meet a migrant family, before moving on to the Favaloro Hospital for its dedication to Pope Francis. The programme for the pastoral visit includes a visit to the ‘Arena’ sports ground in Salina and Holy Mass at 10.00. An image of Our Lady of Porto Salvo will be displayed on the altar. At the end of the homily, Monsignor Damiano will give a speech of thanks. Prevost will meet with civil and military authorities, volunteers, priests and the sick at Lampedusa Town Hall before returning to the airport at around 12.30. The return flight is scheduled to land at Ciampino at 13.45.
