In Bohemia

The Holy Father, Benedict XVI left the Vatican this morning, but not before a short meeting with the Italian President Silvio Berlusconi who accompanied him to the stairs of the waiting aircraft. While in flight, there were a series of telegrams sent to the Heads of State of Italy, Austria and Germany (as is the custom of the Vatican) as the papal aircraft passed through each country's respective airspace.

Conscious of the fact that practicing Catholics in the Czech Republic are in the minority, the Holy Father addressed the welcoming party upon his arrival in that country, recalling the contributions of various Church figures throughout the past number of centuries, and looks forward to meeting with those who still walk in the Way of the first disciples in the Bohemian land.

Later in the day, His Holiness visited the church of Saint Mary of Victory, the place where the statue of the Divine Infant of Prague is housed. Having been greeted by civil authorities on the steps of the church, he then entered the church where he met with families and their children, and prayed before the exposed Blessed Sacrament and the statue of the Infant.

Greetings were then exchanged between the Holy Father, the President of the Czech Episcopal Conference.

Later today, the Holy Father will meet with Civil and Political Authorities, and will be present at the celebration of Evening Prayer in the Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert accompanied by Men and Women Religious, Seminarians and members of Lay Movements. The pontiff's journey continues until Monday.