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Nuncio confirms plans for papal visit to US

Baltimore, Nov. 12, 2007 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) will visit the US in April 2008, stopping in Washington and New York, the apostolic nuncio to the US has confirmed.

Speaking on November 12 to the US bishops, who are gathered in Baltimore this week for their annual meeting, Archbishop Pietro Sambi discussed plans for a papal visit on April 15- 20.

"He will not travel much, but will address himself to the whole people of the United States," the nuncio said. The Pope will visit the White House and speak at Catholic University during his stay in Washington.

The highlight of the papal visit is expected to be an address to the United Nations on April 18. He will also visit Ground Zero-- the site of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001-- and celebrate Mass at St. Patrick's cathedral.

During his trip the Pope is scheduled to preside at two outdoor Masses, held at baseball stadiums in New York and Washington.

The tentative schedule for the papal trip does not include visits to Boston or Philadelphia, two other cities that had lobbied for inclusion on the papal itinerary. (Earlier plans for the papal tour had included a stop in Boston, according to informed officials.)

Although the Vatican has not yet announced official plans for the trip, and Church spokesmen say that details could be altered, the public statement by Archbishop Sambi, the Pope's official representative in Washington, indicates that the plans are well established.