Illustrative stock photo (source: SITA)
Preparations for Pope Francis's visit to Slovakia are culminating.
He will arrive to Slovakia on the afternoon of September 12 and stay until September 15, which is a national holiday in Slovakia.
The pontiff will visit Bratislava, Prešov, Košice and Šaštín during his almost four-day stay.
It is expected that people will come to welcome him at the Bratislava airport, where he is scheduled to arrive at 15:30. His return flight from the Slovak capital is scheduled for September 15 at 13:45.
There will be four events accessible for the wider public, where Christian adherents will be able to meet the pope, with three held on September 14 and one on September 15.
Fewer than 50,000 registered
Those willing to meet Pope Francis need to register on the navstevapapeza.sk website as the tickets are necessary to attend events.
About 46,000 people had registered by August 30. The highest interest is in the mass Pope Francis will serve on the last day of his visit in Šaštín: about 23,000 people. Another 13,000 people have registered for the event in Prešov, while 1,000 want to come to Luník IX and about 9,000 to Lokomotíva Stadium in Košice.
Where to encounter Pope Francis in Slovakia?
September 14
10:30 Prešov: Byzantine Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrystosom presided by the Holy Father in the square of Mestská športová hala in Prešov
16:00 Košice: Luník IX Košice: Meeting with the Roma community in the Luník IX district in Košice
17:00 Lokomotíva Košice: Meeting with young people at Lokomotiva Stadium in Košice
September 15
10:00 Šaštín: Holy Mass on the esplanade of the National Shrine in Šaštín
