The programme for Pope Francis’s short two-day stay was published by the Vatican on Friday.

The Pope will depart from Fiumicino Airport in Rome on Saturday 2 April at 8.30am, to arrival in Malta at 10am. He will be greeted with a welcome ceremony at the Malta International Airport.

At 10.50 the Pope will be paying a courtesy visit to the President of the Republic in the “Ambassadors’ Chamber of the Grand Master’s Palace in Valletta.

In the same building at 11.35am he will be meeting the Prime Minister in the “Pages' Chamber”. Subsequently at 11.50 the Pope will be meeting with the Authorities and the diplomatic corps in the “Grand Council Chamber”.

At 3.50pm he will depart by Catamaran from the Valletta Grand Harbour to Gozo, where he is set to arrive in Mgarr at 5pm.

At 5.30, Pope Francis will have a prayer meeting at Ta’ Pinu. At 6.45pm he will depart by ferry from Gozo and arrive in Cirkewwa at 7.30pm.

On Sunday 3 April at 7.45am he will have a private meeting with the members of the society of jesus at the Apostolic Nunciature in Rabat.

At 8.30am he will visit the Grotto of St Paul at the Basilica of St Paul in Rabat. At 10.15am he will celebrate a Holy Mass at the Granaries in Floriana.

The program continues in the afternoon with the Pope meeting migrants at the John XXIII Peace Lab” centre for migrants in Hal Far at 4.45pm.

At 5.50pm a farewell ceremony will take place at the Malta International Airport, where the Pope will depart to Rome at 6:15pm.