Excerpt from Meeting with authorities, representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps
National Palace, Mexico City
Saturday, 13 February 2016

I am happy to set foot on Mexican soil which holds a special place in the heart of the Americas. Today I come as a missionary of mercy and of peace but also as a son who wishes to pay homage to his mother, the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, and place himself under her watchful care.

I am ready to travel around this beautiful and wide country as a missionary and as a pilgrim who wishes to renew with all of you the experience of mercy as a new horizon of opportunity which inevitably brings justice and peace. I also entrust myself to the gaze of Mary, the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, so that by her intercession, the merciful Father may grant that these days and the future of this land be an opportunity for encounter, unity and peace. Thank you.

News

Continuing coverage of the visit can be found at:

• News.va
• Catholic News Service

 

Photos and Video

• Video message of the Holy Father at the vigil of the Apostolic Journey to Mexico
• Photo Gallery
• Multimedia

 

Schedule

Friday, 12 February 2016

7:45	Departure from Rome's Fiumicino airport for Havana (Cuba) Greeting to journalists during the flight Rome-Havana [Italian, Spanish]
14:00	Arrival at “José Martí” International Airport of Havana
14:15	Private meeting with H.H. Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
16:30	Signing of the Joint Declaration [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish]
17:10	Farewell between His Holiness Kirill and the Holy Father
17:30	Departure from the International Airport of Havana for Mexico City Address of the Holy Father during the flight from Cuba to Mexico [Italian, Spanish]
19:30	Arrival at the “Benito Juárez” International Airport of Mexico City
	Official welcome

 

Saturday, 13 February 2016

9:30	Welcoming ceremony at the National Palace
	Courtesy visit with the President of the Republic
10:15	Meeting with authorities, representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
11:30	Meeting with the Bishops of Mexico gathered in the Cathedral [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
17:00	Holy Mass in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

 

Sunday, 14 February 2016

10:15	Transfer by helicopter to Ecatepec
11:30	Holy Mass at the Study Center of Ecatepec [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
	Angelus [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
14:00	Luncheon with the Papal Entourage at the Diocesan Seminary in Ecatepec
16:45	Transfer by helicopter to Mexico City
17:15	Arrival at Mexico City
17:45	Visit to the “Federico Gómez” children's hospital [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]

 

Monday, 15 February 2016

7:30	Departure by plane for Tuxtla Gutiérrez
9:15	Transfer by helicopter to San Cristóbal de Las Casas
10:15	Holy Mass with representatives of the indigenous communities of Chiapas in the municipal sport center [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
13:00	Luncheon with representatives of the indigenous communities and the Papal Entourage
15:00	Visit to the Cathedral of San Cristóbal de las Casas
15:35	Transfer by helicopter to Tuxtla Gutiérrez
16:15	Meeting with families in the “Víctor Manuel Reyna” stadium in Tuxtla Gutiérrez [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
18:10	Departure by plane for Mexico City
20:00	Arrival at Mexico City airport

 

Tuesday, 16 February 2016

7:50	Departure by plane for Morelia
10:00	Holy Mass with priests, men and women religious, consecrated people and seminarians at “Venustiano Carranza” Stadium [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
15:20	Visit to the Cathedral Greeting to children attending catechism classes [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
16:30	Meeting with young people in the “José María Morelos y Pavón” stadium [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
18:30	Departure by plane for Mexico City
19:35	Arrival at Mexico City airport

 

Wednesday, 17 February 2016

8:35	Departure by plane for Ciudad Juárez
10:00	Arrival at “Abraham González” International Airport of Ciudad Juárez
10:30	Visit to the Centre for Social Adjustment No. 3 (CeReSo n. 3) [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
12:00	Meeting with the world of labour at the Bachilleres College in the state of Chihuahua [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
16:00	Holy Mass at the Ciudad Juárez fairgrounds [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
19:00	Farewell ceremony at the International Airport of Ciudad Juárez [Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish]
19:15	Departure for Rome/Ciampino

 

Thursday, 18 February 2016

14:45

Arrival at Ciampino Airport in Rome