Czechs prepare for Pope’s visit

Preparations are in full swing for the Pope’s upcoming three day visit to the Czech Republic. Pope Benedict XVI will arrive on Saturday for what has been described as a pastoral visit intended to bring a message of faith and hope to Czechs 20 years after the fall of communism. The visit, during which the Pope will serve two open-air masses, has been timed to coincide with St. Wenceslas’ Day, a state holiday in the Czech Republic in honour of the nation’s patron saint. Pope Benedict XVI will meet with the country’s leading political and cultural figures as well as Catholic dignitaries and representatives of other churches.