The Associated Press
Pope Francis sets out his hopes for the Catholic Church in Asia on Sunday as he addresses the region’s bishops and closes out an Asian youth festival. Here are details of the day ahead.
–Morning: Francis was supposed to have baptized the father of one of the Sewol ferry victims on Saturday, but the appointment got pushed back to Sunday when the pope had more time in the morning. Francis agreed to an unusual last-minute request to baptize the man when he met with about a dozen survivors and families of the victims on Friday. The baptism is expected to take place in private in the Vatican’s embassy in Seoul.
–11 a.m. (0200GMT): Francis travels about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of Seoul to Haemi for a meeting with Asian bishops. After initial prayers, the head of the Asian bishops’ conference, Cardinal Oswald Gracias (one of Francis’ nine cardinal advisers), delivers introductory remarks followed by the pope’s speech. The meeting takes place in the sanctuary of Haemi, where some 132 martyrs were tortured and killed.
–4:30 p.m. (0730 GMT): After lunching with the bishops, Francis travels to the nearby Haemi castle for the concluding Mass for Asian Youth Day, the Asian version of the World Youth Day festivals inaugurated by St. John Paul II. The castle is actually a 15th century fortress that was used as a jail, and in the 19th century as a detention center for Christians persecuted by the Joseon Dynasty.
–7 p.m. (1000GMT): Francis returns to the Seoul embassy for the night.
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