Pope Francis in Florence on February 27
The complete program of the Holy Father's visit
An important week for Florence, which on Sunday, February 27, sees Pope Francis arrive in the city at the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio, as part of the meeting of Mediterranean bishops and mayors, which the city will host from February 23 to 27. The Pope will also celebrate Mass in Santa Croce.
PROGRAMME
The Holy Father will land at Ridolfi Stadium and then proceed to Palazzo Vecchio, where at 8.30 he will greet the mayors of all the Mediterranean capitals present. Then the Pope will meet in the Sala d'Armi the families of the city's refugees, who are welcomed by the Church and the Municipality. Later in the Basilica of Santa Croce, where the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella will also be present, the Pope will celebrate Mass. The Pope is not expected to arrive by mobile pope but with a simple covered car, and may make a tour of the square of Santa Croce to be closer to the faithful who will flock outside the Basilica to attend the celebrations. Four maxi screens will be set up in Santa Croce to follow the Mass. Finally, the greeting with the Bishop of Florence, Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, at the end of the Angelus and then the Holy Father will leave directly for Rome.
For the Pope's visit and the Mass in Santa Croce, the Mobility Department of the Municipality of Florence has established a series of traffic measures that will be implemented and communicated in greater detail next week. From a general point of view, the area of Piazza Santa Croce will be off limits from 6 a.m. on Sunday, February 27 until at least 3 p.m. and in any case until the end of the event. For security reasons, the closure measures will affect a wider area (more details will arrive in the coming days).
GUESTS
The director general of Unesco will be the guest speaker, who will also give the opening speech on Friday morning, and there will be the minister Lamorgese in the round table on Saturday afternoon that will be concluded by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Luigi Di Maio explained Nardella. There will also be video interventions by singers Sting and Andrea Bocelli and a message from Charles of England, who has been committed to climate change for years.
FLORENCE MEDITERRANEAN MAYORS' FORUM PROGRAM
A very important week for Florence that sees mayors, ministers and exponents of international organizations coming together for the Conference on the Mediterranean. The forum takes place simultaneously with the Conference "Mediterranean Frontier of Peace" promoted by the Italian Episcopal Conference.
On the evening of Thursday, February 24, the delegations that will participate in the Florence Mediterranean Mayors' Forum are welcomed at Villa Bardini, granted by the Fondazione CR Firenze, for a welcome on the splendid terrace overlooking the city.
Inaugurated on December 21 last in the presence of the Head of State Mattarella, the new auditorium of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino hosts the Saturday afternoon session, open to the public (by invitation only) and to the press. The meeting, dedicated to the memory of David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament who recently passed away, is entitled The Florence Declaration as a bridge between Europe and the Mediterranean Region: peace, economic and social development, culture and interpersonal relations.
In the Sala d'Arme of Palazzo Vecchio it will be possible to admire the exhibition Amos Gitai - Promised Lands, inaugurated on Friday 25th February at 7 p.m. in the presence of the artist Amos Gitai with the special participation of the soprano Nathalie Dessay accompanied by the pianist Philippe Cassard. The exhibition, organized by Mus.e with the contribution of Toscana Energia, will remain at Palazzo Vecchio until the days (April 13-14) when Amos Gitai's show Exils intérieurs is scheduled at the Teatro della Pergola in Florence.
Saturday, February 26 at 20 in the Sala Zubin Mehta, new Auditorium of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, is scheduled for the Concert of the 'Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino conducted by James Conlon.
