King Charles III leaves, Pope Francis arrives. The sovereign pontiff arrived on Friday, September 22, around 4:15 p.m., at Marignane airport, where he was welcomed by the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, for a two-day visit to Marseille. Before meeting Emmanuel Macron and giving a mass at the Vélodrome stadium on Saturday, he must go to pray at Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde and deliver a tribute to the shipwrecked migrants. Follow our live stream.
>> Pope’s visit to Marseille: how Pope Francis put the migration issue at the center of his pontificate
A tribute to migrants missing at sea. After his arrival on French soil, the pope must go to the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica to lead a prayer to the Virgin Mary with the diocesan clergy, reports France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. He must then pay his respects with religious leaders in front of the Memorial dedicated to sailors and migrants missing at sea.
A “historic event”, according to the mayor of Marseille. Marseille “corresponds” to the message of openness to others carried by the head of the Catholic Church, believes the mayor of the city, Benoît Payan. “It’s been five centuries since we had a pope [en visite] and for us, Marseillais, it is a powerful and strong symbol”, did he declare.
A mass at the Vélodrome stadium on Saturday. On Saturday, the Pope must participate at 10 a.m. in the Mediterranean Meetings at the Pharo, where he was invited by Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille. He must then meet with Emmanuel Macron at 11:30 a.m. In the afternoon, Pope Francis is to preside over a mass at the Vélodrome stadium, in front of 57,000 people, after a stroll in a popemobile open to all.