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SYDNEY: The leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI,
arrived in Sydney on Sunday ahead of one of the biggest celebrations
of his faith, World Youth Day.
The plane carrying the spiritual leader of the
world’s 1.1 billion Catholics touched down at Richmond military
airbase in Sydney’s northwest around 3 p.m.
The Pope disembarked shortly afterwards and made
his way swiftly from the aircraft where he was met by Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd and the leader of the Church in Australia, Sydney
Archbishop George Pell.
It is his first visit Down Under and he has
promised to apologize for past sexual abuse by the Catholic clergy
in Australia during his July 13 to 21 visit.
The 81-year-old Pontiff will shortly leave the
military airport for a nearby Catholic retreat center where he will
spend the next three days resting in the scenic surrounds of the
Blue Mountains.
His official welcome to Sydney will be held on
Thursday, when he will arrive on a boat on Sydney Harbor to be
greeted by an estimated 500,000 people.
World Youth Day, which this year will be hosted
by Sydney from July 15 to 20, is one of the biggest celebrations of
the Catholic faith and past events have attracted more than 2
million pilgrims.
It was the brainchild of the late Pope John Paul
II.
Organizers say some 100,000 overseas pilgrims
have already arrived in Sydney and are among the 215,000
international and Australian Catholics who have registered for the
events, which culminate in an open-air Mass by the Pontiff.
“Although I will be able to spend only a few
days in your country, and I will not be able to travel outside
Sydney, my heart reaches out to all of you, including those who are
sick or in difficulties of any kind,” he said.
-- AFP
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