The audience granted by Benedict XVI to some political and civilian authorities of Germany is under way in the archbishop’s palace of Cologne: the Federal Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder; the President of the German Parliament (Bundestag), Wolfgang Thierse; the President of the CDU Party (Christian Democratic Union), Angela Merkel; the Minister and President of the Northern Rhineland-Westphalia Land, Jürgen Rüttgers. The meeting will include a short private interview, followed by the introduction of families and collaborators and official photographs. The audience with the local authorities is also attended by some delegates from the municipalities of Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf, and other figures. This morning, the Pope celebrated Mass in private in the archbishop’s palace of Cologne. His next engagements: at 1 pm, private lunch in the archbishop’s palace; at 6 pm, audience still in the archbishop’s palace of Cologne with delegates from some Muslim Communities; at 7 pm, transfer to the esplanade of Marienfeld; at 7.30 pm, welcome address to the guest bishops (in Marienfeld); at 8.30 pm, prayer vigil with the young.
