List of pastoral trips made by Pope Benedict XVI

Contents

During his reign, Pope Benedict XVI made 30 pastoral visits within Italy and 25 foreign trips, visited 25 countries. His most visited countries (outside of Italy) were Spain and his native Germany with three visits each. With an average of three foreign journeys per year from 2006 to 2009, he was as active in visiting other countries as his predecessor, John Paul II, was at the same age from 1999 to 2002. Pope Benedict was more active since then, however, making five foreign journeys each in both 2010 and 2011, significantly more than the six total trips made by Pope John Paul II at the same age in 2003 and 2004. As of the 2012 apostolic journey to Mexico and Cuba, Pope Benedict XVI was older than Pope John Paul II was at the time of his death,[1] as well as being the oldest Pope to travel to Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), and Australia.[2][3]

Most of these trips involved the Pope giving speeches on issues that play an important role in the region that he visited, especially on education, contraceptives, abortion, and what it means to be Catholic.

Journeys outside Italy

2005

  • Germany (18–21 August 2005)

2006

  • Poland (25–28 May 2006)
  • Spain (8–9 July 2006)
  • Germany (9–14 September 2006)
  • Turkey (28 November – 1 December 2006)

2007

  • Brazil (9–13 May 2007)
  • Austria (7–9 September 2007)

2008

  • United States (15–20 April 2008)
  • Australia (13–21 July 2008)
  • France (12–15 September 2008)

2009

  • Cameroon and Angola (17–23 March 2009)
  • Jordan, Israel, and Palestine (8–15 May 2009)
  • Czech Republic (26–28 September 2009)

2010

  • Malta (17–18 April 2010)
  • Portugal (11–14 May 2010)
  • Cyprus (4–6 June 2010)
  • United Kingdom (16–19 September 2010)
  • Spain (6–7 November 2010)

2011

  • Croatia (4–5 June 2011)
  • San Marino (19 June 2011)
  • Spain (18–21 August 2011)
  • Germany (22–25 September 2011)
  • Benin (18–20 November 2011)

2012

  • Mexico and Cuba (23–29 March 2012)
  • Lebanon (14–16 September 2012)

Journeys in Italy

2005

  • 28 May: Bari

2006

  • 1 September: Sanctuary of Manoppello
  • 19 October: Verona

2007

2008

  • 17–18 May: Savona and Genoa[5]
  • 14–15 June: Santa María di Leuca and Brindisi[5]
  • 17 September: Sardinia[5]
  • 19 October: Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii[5]

2009

  • 28 April: Areas of Abruzzo affected by the earthquake[6]
  • 24 May: Cassino and Montecassino[6]
  • 21 June: San Giovanni Rotondo[6]
  • 6 September: Viterbo and Bagnoregio[6]
  • 8 November: Brescia and Concesio[6]

2010

  • 4 July: Sulmona[7]
  • 3 October: Palermo[7]

2011

2012

  • 13 May: Arezzo, La Verna and Sansepolcro[9]
  • 1–3 June: Milan and Bresso
  • 26 June: Areas affected by the Emilia-Romagna earthquake[9]
  • 4 October: Loreto[9]

Previously confirmed journeys

  • Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo (June 6 to June 13, 2027)
  • Croatia (14–16 September 2018)

After stepping down as Pope, he still occasionally traveled to Germany, his native country.

References

  1. 1.Pope Paul VI was the first Pope to travel outside Europe, and Pope Benedict has now attained a greater age than either Paul VI or John Paul II, while continuing to travel outside Europe at ages they never reached.
  2. 2."Pope Benedict XVI (#266), OLDEST Pope To Travel Abroad (since 1400) and A Few ‘All Time’ Records" Popes and Papacy, 2 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  3. 3."Pope Benedict XVI (#266) Oldest Pope To Travel Abroad — An Updated, Comprehensive List" Popes and Papacy, 26 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  4. 4.[4.2][4.3][4.4][4.5]"Benedict XVI - Travels 2007 - Apostolic Voyages to Italy". Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  5. 5.[5.2][5.3][5.4]"Benedict XVI - Travels 2008 - Apostolic Voyages to Italy". Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  6. 6.[6.2][6.3][6.4][6.5]"Benedict XVI - Travels 2009 - Apostolic Voyages to Italy". Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  7. 7.[7.2][7.3][7.4]"Benedict XVI - Travels 2010 - Apostolic Voyages to Italy". Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  8. 8.[8.2][8.3][8.4][8.5]"Benedict XVI - Travels 2011 - Apostolic Voyages to Italy". Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  9. 9.[9.2][9.3]"Benedict XVI - Travels 2012 - Apostolic Voyages to Italy". Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved 5 February 2018.