Pope Francis arrives in Bahrain

By Benedict Mayaki

Pope Francis’ 39th Apostolic Journey abroad kicked off with the arrival of the papal plane at the Sakhir Air Base in Bahrain's central city of Awali at about 16:36 pm (GMT +3).

After his welcome at the airport, the Pope’s first official visit is a courtesy visit to the King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain at the Sakhir Royal Palace.

The Holy Father will then meet with local authorities, representatives of civil society, and members of the diplomatic corps.

Pope in the Kingdom of Bahrain

The Pope is visiting the Kingdom of Bahrain from 3–6 November.

During this period, he will address the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue, a conference that will focus on the theme: “East and West for Human Coexistence.”

Over 200 religious leaders from various parts of the globe are expected to attend the conference scheduled for 3–4 November.

The rest of the four-day Apostolic Journey will see Pope Francis meeting privately with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, holding an audience with members of the Muslim Council of Elders, and attending an ecumenical meeting and prayer for peace in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia.

Other highlights of the Pope’s visit include the celebration of Holy Mass for the country’s Catholic population and a meeting with young people, as well as the local Bishops, priests, consecrated persons, seminarians, and pastoral workers.

The Holy Father is scheduled to return to Rome on Sunday.