Papal visit to Great Britain to include much more than beatification

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican has billed Pope Benedict XVI's four-day visit to the Great Britain as a trip to beatify the 19th-century intellectual and theologian Cardinal John Henry Newman.

But the pope's schedule for the September visit is filled with the other appointments as well, including a meeting with the Queen Elizabeth II, with the British prime minister and members of the government's opposition parties and with Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of the Canterbury, spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The beatification Mass on the last day of the pope's Sept. 16-19 visit to Scotland and England will be the first beatification liturgy Pope Benedict has presided over; since his election in the 2005, he has delegated that role to the cardinals to highlight the difference between the beatification and canonization.

Here is the schedule for the pope's trip as released by the Vatican Aug. 18. Times listed are local, with Eastern Daylight Time in parentheses.

Thursday, Sept. 16 (Rome; Edinburgh and Glasgow, Scotland; London)

-- 8:10 a.m. (2:10 a.m.) Departure from Rome's Ciampino airport.

-- 10:30 a.m. (5:30 a.m.) Arrival at Edinburgh Airport. Official welcome.

-- 11 a.m. (6 a.m.) Welcoming ceremony at the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Visit with Queen Elizabeth II.

-- 11:40 a.m. (6:40 a.m.) Meeting with authorities in the park of Holyroodhouse. Speech by pope.

-- 1 p.m. (8 a.m.) Lunch with members of the papal entourage in the archbishop's residence in Edinburgh.

-- 5:15 p.m. (12:15 p.m.) Mass in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. Homily by pope.

-- 8 p.m. (3 p.m.) Departure from Glasgow Airport for London.

-- 9:25 p.m. (4:25 p.m.) Arrival at London's Heathrow Airport.

Friday, Sept. 17 (London)

-- 8 a.m. (3 a.m.) Private Mass in the chapel of the apostolic nunciature in Wimbledon.

-- 10 a.m. (5 a.m.) Meeting with staff and students of Catholic schools in the chapel and on the sports field of St. Mary's University College in Twickenham. Greeting and speech by pope.

-- 11:30 a.m. (6:30 a.m.) Meeting with leaders of other religions in the Waldegrave Drawing Room of St. Mary's University College. Speech by pope.

-- 4 p.m. (11 a.m.) Courtesy visit with the Anglican archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace. Speech by pope.

-- 5:10 p.m. (12:10 p.m.) Meeting with representatives of British society, the academic, cultural and business spheres, members of the diplomatic corps and religious leaders in Westminster Hall. Speech by pope.

-- 6:15 p.m. (1:15 p.m.) Ecumenical celebration in Westminster Abbey. Speech by pope.

Saturday, Sept. 18 (London)

-- 9 a.m. (4 a.m.) Meeting with the prime minister in the residence of the archbishop of Westminster.

-- 9:20 a.m. (4:20 a.m.) Meeting with the deputy prime minister in the archbishop's residence.

-- 9:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m.) Meeting with leaders of the opposition in the archbishop's residence.

-- 10 a.m. (5 a.m.) Mass in Westminster Cathedral. Homily by pope.

-- 5 p.m. (Noon) Visit to St. Peter's Residence, a home for the elderly. Speech by pope.

-- 6:15 p.m. (1:15 p.m.) Prayer vigil for the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman in Hyde Park. Speech by pope.

Sunday, Sept. 19 (London, Birmingham, Rome)

-- 8 a.m. (3 a.m.) Departure from the apostolic nunciature in Wimbledon.

-- 8:45 a.m. (3:45 am.) Departure by helicopter from Wimbledon Park to Birmingham.

-- 9:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m.) Arrival at the heliport near Cofton Park in Birmingham.

-- 10 a.m. (5 a.m.) Mass and the beatification of Cardinal Newman in Cofton Park. Homily by pope. Recitation of the Angelus prayer. Remarks by pope.

-- 1:10 p.m. (8:10 a.m.) Private visit to the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Birmingham.

-- 1:45 p.m. (8:45 a.m.) Lunch with the bishops of England, Wales and Scotland and with members of the papal entourage in the refectory of Francis Martyn House at Oscott College in Birmingham.

-- 4:45 p.m. (11:45 a.m.) Meeting with the bishops of England, Wales and Scotland in the chapel of Francis Martyn House.

-- 6:15 p.m. (1:15 p.m.) Farewell ceremony at Birmingham International Airport. Speech by pope.

-- 6:45 p.m. (1:45 p.m.) Departure from Birmingham International Airport.

-- 10:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m.) Arrival at Rome's Ciampino airport.

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