Pope Francis will fly between Lisbon and Fatima on August 5 in a US Air Force EH-101 Merlin helicopter, with an estimated flight duration of 50 minutes.
The maximum capacity of the EH-101 Merlin helicopter is 30 passengers, according to information provided to the Air Force Lusa agency, and on Pope Francis’ trip, the crew will consist of a commander, a co-pilot and a system operator.
The World Youth Day (WYD) journey is expected to last 50 minutes and take Papa Francisco from Lisbon Airport Transportation Airfield 1 to Fatima.
According to the Air Force website, the military has 12 EH-101 helicopters, of which six are for search and rescue, two for fisheries inspection systems, and four for search and rescue.
The EH-101s belong to 751 Squadron, which, according to the Air Force, acquired them in 2005, replacing the SA-330 PUMA, which allowed it to be equipped with “state-of-the-art technology” and increase its “operational capabilities.”
In May, the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation announced that Pope Francis would arrive in Lisbon for World Youth Day on August 2, return to Rome on August 6, and visit Fatima on August 5.
According to a note released by the foundation, “By the direct will of Pope Francis, the official program of the visit will include a trip to Fatima, which will take place on 5 August.”
The Pope will take part on August 3 in the afternoon in the Edward VI Park in the ceremony of welcoming the pilgrims. The next day he will preside over the Via Sacra, also in the Eduardo VI Park, and on Saturday, in addition to the morning, in Fatima, he will be in the late afternoon, early evening in the Tejo Park, to start the Youth Vigil.
On Sunday, in addition to the final mass, in the morning also in Tejo Park, in the afternoon there will be a meeting with thousands of volunteers participating in the WYD before returning to the Vatican.
This is Pope Francis’ second trip to Portugal after presiding over the May 13 ceremonies at the Sanctuary of Fatima in 2017, as part of a centenary of apparition visit that marked the official canonization of two shepherd children, Jacinta and Francisco Marto.
Francis is the fourth pope to visit Portugal, after Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1982, 1991 and 2000 and Benedict XVI in 2010.
Lisbon has been chosen by Pope Francis to host WYD 2023, which will take place from 1 to 6 August this year, with the main ceremonies taking place in the Tagus Park, north of the Parque des Nations, on the banks of the Tagus River, on the lands of the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures.
This year’s edition, which will be closed by the Pope, was originally scheduled for 2022 but was delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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