National & International News

Pope's Itinerary For Visits To Cuba, U.S.

By Scott Neuman

Published September 18, 2015 at 3:36 PM EDT

View of a banner with the portrait of Pope Francis flanked by images of legendary rebels Ernesto 'Che' Guevara (right) and Camilo Cienfuegos (left), in Havana, Cuba, on Friday. Pope Francis will spend more than three days in Cuba starting Saturday before traveling on to the U.S.

Pope Francis arrives in Cuba on Saturday, where he will hold Mass and visit with President Raul Castro ahead of a six-day tour of several U.S. cities, a meeting with President Obama and a speech to a joint meeting of Congress.

National Catholic Register writes: "Visiting both Cuba and the United States on the same trip not only acknowledges his role in encouraging detente between them, but will give Pope Francis an opportunity to demonstrate that while different political and cultural challenges face Catholics in both countries, the Gospel and its values are the same."

Here's a look at some of the highlights of on the pontiff's itinerary:

Saturday, Sept. 19:

4:05 p.m.: Arrives Havana's

Sunday, Sept. 20:

9 a.m.: Mass in Havana's Revolution Square.

4 p.m.: Visit with President Raul Castro.

Monday, Sept. 21:

10:30 a.m.: Mass in the southern city of Holguin.

7 p.m.: Meeting with bishops at seminary of St. Basil the Great in El Cobre.

Tuesday, Sept. 22:

8 a.m.: Mass in Minot Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre.

11 a.m.: Speech in Santiago de Cuba.

4 p.m.: Arrival at Andrews Air Force Base, Washington, D.C., for official welcome.

Wednesday, Sept. 23:

9 a.m.: Meeting with President Obama at White House.

11:30 a.m.: Prayer with bishops of the United States at

4:15 p.m.: Mass of Canonization of at Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Thursday, Sept. 24:

9:20 a.m.: Address before joint meeting of Congress.

11:15 a.m.: Visit to and

5 p.m.: Arrival at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

6:46 p.m.: Vespers at

Friday, Sept. 25:

8:30 a.m.: Visit to United Nations followed by speech to U.N. General Assembly.

11:30 a.m.: Service at

6 p.m.: Mass at Madison Square Garden.

Saturday, Sept. 26:

9:30 a .m.: Arrival at Atlantic Aviation, Philadelphia.

10:30 a.m.: Mass at

7:30 p.m.: Visit to Festival of Families Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Sunday, Sept. 27:

9.15 a.m.: Meeting with bishops at St. Martin's Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.

11 a.m.: Visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.

4 p.m.: Mass for the conclusion of the , Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

7 p.m.: Visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families, Atlantic Aviation.

8 p.m.: Departure for Rome.