Saturday’s program
8:45 a.m.: For the second day of his visit, Pope Francis meets privately, at the Missionaries of Charity, the Catholic congregation founded by Mother Teresa, with certain people in situations of poverty, in the popular and multicultural district of Saint-Maura , near the new port.
10 hours : closing session of the 3e edition of the Mediterranean Meetings at the amphitheater of the Palais du Pharo “where 900 people, including 140 bishops and young people from the Mediterranean, will listen to his key speech of the trip”according to Vatican News. In addition to Emmanuel Macron and the first lady, Brigitte Macron, the mayor of Marseille, Benoit Payan, and other civil, ecclesial and political luminaries will be in the assembly.
11:30 a.m.: in the salon of honor of the Palais du Pharo, the Pope meets privately with Emmanuel Macron. This is their fourth meeting since 2017. During this interview “bilateral” which he obtained from “high struggle”, he will approach “the annoying questions”in particular the two laws that the executive is preparing (text on the end of life and text on immigration) which may displease the sovereign pontiff, according to Radio France.
13 hours : opening of the Stade-Vélodrome to the faithful. This is the most anticipated moment of this papal visit. Given the expected crowds, it is advisable to arrive early. Access closes at 3:15 p.m.
3:30 p.m.: stroll in a popemobile on Avenue du Prado, from David towards the Stade-Vélodrome. Tens of thousands of people are expected to arrive for this historic moment of jubilation. The journey should take between fifteen and thirty minutes.
At least 100,000 people will be present on the route. Five giant screens will be installed on the one kilometer route between Borely Park and the Prado roundabout. The public is recommended to take position on site from 9:30 a.m., when security checks are in place. France 2 will cover the papal visit from 6:30 a.m. Saturday. From 3 p.m., a special edition “The Pope in Marseille” will allow you to follow the stroll of the popemobile and the mass broadcast live on Franceinfo (channel 27) and TV5 Monde.
4:15 p.m.: mass at the Stade-Vélodrome in the presence of Emmanuel Macron and his wife. The Pope will preside over the “votive mass in honor of the Virgin of the Guard” in front of around sixty bishops, 800 choristers and 57,000 faithful. Only the faithful with an invitation will access the stadium. For others, you will have to fall back on retransmission. “It will be the great meeting between the Holy Father and the French faithful, during the first mass celebrated on French soil by the Argentine pope since the start of his pontificate ten years ago”according to Vatican News.
The start of the mass will be celebrated in French and the Pope’s homily will be delivered in Italian with subtitles available on giant screens.
6:45 p.m.: At the end of the mass, Pope Francis will be accompanied to Marseille-Provence airport by Emmanuel Macron. A departure ceremony is planned before the takeoff of his plane, set for 7:15 p.m. for an arrival in Rome around 8:50 p.m.
The Pope’s program on Vatican News.