Pope to Make Up Canceled U.S. Visit With October Tour
Pope John Paul II, who canceled a trip to the United States last fall for health reasons, has rescheduled his visit for October.
The Pope will visit New York City, Newark, N.J., and Baltimore on the tour, the Vatican said Thursday. The centerpiece of the trip will be a visit to U.N. headquarters in New York on Oct. 5 to mark the organization’s 50th anniversary.
The Pope is expected to arrive Oct. 4 at Newark International Airport and to celebrate Mass at the Camden Yards baseball park in Baltimore on Oct. 8 before leaving from Baltimore-Washington International Airport.
The 74-year-old pontiff canceled a similar U.S. tour last October because he needed more time to recover from hip-replacement surgery. The cancellation came at a time when he was looking particularly tired, reviving concerns about his health. But the Vatican denied that he was seriously ill.
The Pope, who now walks with a cane, resumed foreign travel with a four-country Asian pilgrimage in January. He announced during that tour that he planned to make up for canceled trips and resume his regular foreign tours.
He said he expected to visit the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Belgium and several African countries in addition to the United States.
John Paul made major pilgrimages to the United States in 1979 and 1987 and stopped in Denver to mark the church’s Youth Day in 1993.
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