ROME (AP) — Pope Francis will make a two-day trip to Marseille, France, in late September, another addition to the hectic travel schedule of the 86-year-old pope, who underwent abdominal surgery weeks ago.
Earlier this year, the pope said he would travel to the French port city to attend the Mediterranean Synod of Catholic Bishops, but until the Vatican on Saturday released the timetable for the Sept. 22-23 pilgrimage, the situation was unclear. How long are you staying?
On his second day in Marseille, Francis will meet the bishop and in the afternoon he will lead Mass at a football stadium in the city.
Pope Francis will travel to Lisbon, Portugal, on Aug. 2 to attend a meeting of young Catholics and use the visit to fly by helicopter to Fatima, a popular sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
On Aug. 31, he plans to fly to Mongolia, the first visit by a pope to the Asian country with a small Catholic community.
The three visits in just two months will examine the Pope’s recovery from abdominal surgery he underwent in June to repair a hernia and remove scar tissue from previous operations. In 2021, Francisco underwent another operation in Rome to remove a narrowed bowel. Earlier this year, he was hospitalized with intravenous antibiotics for bronchitis.