Pope Francis Arrives Safely in Lisbon, Portugal for World Youth Day and Receives a Welcome Ceremony - VIDEO

Pope Francis arrives in Lisbon, Portugal, for his 42nd Apostolic Journey  for the occasion of World Youth Day.
The flight arrived a few minutes early at Figo Maduro air base in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon at about 10 AM local time.

The ITA-Airways papal flight had left Rome's Fiumicino International Airport at 8 AM local time on August 2nd in the morning, carrying the Pope and the journalists.

After the papal plane took off, the Holy Father joked with journalists saying he would return from the Journey "more youthful."
Programme for Wednesday

Upon the Holy Father landing in Lisbon, he was received by a welcoming ceremony. Immediately afterwards, he was greeted at the National Palace in Belèm by the President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. Also in the Belèm district, in the cultural centre, the Holy Father met the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps.

Following lunch, the Pope has two appointments before returning to the Apostolic Nunciature this evening where he will reside during his Portuguese stay.


At 4:45 p.m. in the nunciature, he will meet with the Prime Minister. At 5:30 p.m., in the famous Monastery dos Jerònimos, he will celebrate Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, seminarians and pastoral workers.
At the completion of this Journey on Sunday, marking the Pope Francis' second visit to Portugal since the start of his pontificate, he will have visited 60 countries since the start of his pontificate, Portugal was already included after his May 2017 visit for the 100th anniversary of the apparitions in Fatima.

Thursday, 3 August: welcoming ceremony for the WYD

On Thursday morning, Pope Francis will meet the students on the premises of the Universidade Catòlica Portuguesa. Then he will leave Lisbon for nearby Cascais, where he will greet the young people of Scholas Occurentes who have their headquarters there. In the afternoon he will return to the Portuguese capital for the welcoming ceremony of WYD, which will take place at the Edward VII Park.

Friday, 4 August: Way of the Cross with young people

Some young people from WYD will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation from the Pope in the "so Impèrio" square in Belèm on the morning of Friday 4 August. At around 9:45 am, Francis himself will go to the "de Serafina" parish centre to meet with representatives of some assistance and charity centres. At 12 noon there will be lunch with young people in the Apostolic Nunciature, while at 6 pm the Pontiff will preside over the Stations of the Cross with young people in Edward VII Park.

Saturday, 5 August: visit to Fatima and WYD vigil

The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima will be visited by the Pope on the morning of Saturday 5 August. Francis will leave Lisbon by helicopter for the Fatima Stadium at 8:00 am and at 9:30 am will pray the Holy Rosary with the sick young people at the Chapel of Apparitions. Around noon, he is scheduled to return to the capital. Two appointments are scheduled: at 6 pm the usual private meeting with members of the Society of Jesus at the Colégio de S. João de Brito and at 8:45 pm, as mentioned, the vigil with young people will take place in Tejo Park.

Sunday, 6 August: Holy Mass and the return to the Vatican

The concluding Mass for World Youth Day will be celebrated by the Pope again in Tejo Park on Sunday 6 August at 9 a.m. In the afternoon there will be a meeting with the WYD volunteers at the 'passeio marìtimo' in Algès, before the farewell ceremony at the Figo Maduro airbase.

The Pope's return flight to Rome will leave at 6:15 p.m. and arrive at Fiumicino airport at 10:15 p.m.

Edited from Vatican News