Benedict XVI will visit the Czech Republic in September 2007, announced Cardinal Miloslav Vlk in recent days. The cardinal also took part in the recent visit of Benedict XVI to Bavaria. The expected date of the visit is 8 September, the day on which the Pope will visit the Marian sanctuary at Mariazell, in Austria. The Czech Bishops’ Conference is preparing the official invitation. The first news of a possible visit by the Pope to the Czech Republic was leaked in December last year. Cardinal Vlk had invited Benedict XVI during the visit of Czech and Moravian bishops to Rome in November 2005. In December 2005 the President of the country, Vaclav Klaus had communicated the desire to invite the Pope to the apostolic nuncio Diego Causero. Benedict’s visit would be added to the three visits made by John Paul II to the Czech Republic in 1990, 1995 and 1997.
