Pope's summer schedule includes rest at villa, travel to Australia

Published: 2008-07-01

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Catching a glimpse of Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican this summer will be more difficult than ever. After his July 2 weekly general audience, the pope was scheduled to move out to the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, and remain there until he leaves for his July 12-21 trip to Australia for World Youth Day. Publishing the pope's summer schedule July 1, the Vatican said the pope would not hold his Wednesday general audiences July 9-Aug. 6. However, on July 6 and July 27 he will recite the Angelus at midday with guests gathered in the courtyard of the Castel Gandolfo villa. On Aug. 3 and Aug. 10, the pope will recite the Angelus with the public in front of the cathedral in Bressanone in the northern Italian Alps. The pope will spend his customary mountain vacation at the Bressanone seminary July 28-Aug. 11. Although it will be his first visit to Bressanone as pope, he passed the summers there 10 times as a cardinal between 1977 and 2004.

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