Vatican City - The Vatican on Wednesday published the itinerary of Pope Benedict XVI's April 17-18 visit to Malta, the pontiff's first scheduled trip abroad this year. During a stay of around 26 hours in the tiny, mostly Catholic, Mediterranean island nation , Benedict is set to meet Maltese government officials and church officials.
He also plans to visit a grotto near the village Rabat, named after St Paul who according to the biblical book the Acts of the Apostles was shipwrecked on Malta on his way to Rome.
The expected highlights of Benedict's visit include a Sunday Mass in a square on April 18 and a meeting with Maltese youth in Valetta.
Later this year Benedict, who turns 83 on April 16, is also expected to travel to Cyprus, Portugal and Britain, but details of those trips have yet to be announced.