Bishops are leaving for Rome, they will meet the Pope

On Tuesday, 11th February 2014, the “Ad Limina” visit of the bishops from the Czech Republic begins in Rome. Its participants will meet Pope Francis as well as representatives of various offices in the Roman Curia. They will also celebrate masses in major basilicas and pray at the memorial of Jan Palach. During the Wednesday general audience, the Holy Father will bless crowns for the Palladium of Bohemia and for the statue of Our Lady of Olešnice. The event, accompanied by some 300 Czech pilgrims, will end on 17th February.

Prague/Vatican: The visit of fifteen bishops from the Czech Republic, called ad limina apostolorum (“to the thresholds of the apostles”), is taking place eight years since the last such event. Bishops will have the first opportunity to officially meet Pope Francis together.

The program starts with the mass at the St. Peter’s tomb in the Vatican basilica on Tuesday, 11th February, at 5.00 p.m. Just before it, the bishops will pray at the tomb of Cardinal Josef Beran, the only Czech buried at the Vatican basilica. The entire Ad Limina visit will culminate on Friday, during the meeting of the bishops with Pope Francis. All the pilgrims will have the opportunity to meet him during his general audience on Wednesday. On this occasion, the Holy Father will also bless crowns for the Palladium of Bohemia and for the statue of Our Lady of Olešnice.

On Friday, the 1145th anniversary of the death of St. Cyril, who died on 14th February 869, representatives of various Slavic countries will celebrate the mass at his tomb in the St. Clement’s basilica.

Program highlights:

- Tuesday, 5.00 p.m.: Mass at the St. Peter’s tomb (presided by Cardinal Dominik Duka, archbishop of Prague)

- Wednesday, 10.30 a.m.: General audience with Pope Francis; 4.00 p.m.: Mass at the Lateran basilica (presided by Archbishop Jan Graubner of Olomouc)

- Thursday, 4.00 p.m.: Mass at the basilica of Saint Mary Major (presided by Bishop František Radkovský of Plzeň)

- Friday morning: meeting of bishops with Pope Francis; 6.30 p.m.: Mass at the St. Clement’s basilica (presided by Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, archbishop emeritus of Prague)

- Saturday, 3.45 p.m.: Mass at the basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (presided by Bishop Jan Baxant of Litoměřice)

- Sunday, 9.30 a.m.: Mass at the basilica of St. Bartholomew (presided by Bishop Vojtěch Cikrle of Brno); at about 3 p.m., bishops will pray at the memorial of Jan Palach, a Czech student who set himself on fire on 16th January 1969 to protest against the Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia