Vatican City - Pope Francis has accepted an invitation from the civil and ecclesial authorities to make an Apostolic Journey to Hungary from 28 to 30 April 2023. The announcement was made on Monday by the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni.

During his three-day visit to Budapest, the Holy Father will meet with refugees, the downtrodden, and children of the Blessed László Batthyány-Strattmann Institute, among others.

He will also address various groups, including authorities, civil society, young people, and representatives of the academic and cultural world. Over half of Hungarians are Christian, with at least 37 percent identifying as Catholic.

This will be Pope Francis' 41st Apostolic Journey abroad.

More than half of Hungarians are Christian, with at least 37% of the population identifying as Catholic.

Cardinal Erdo welcomes Pope Francis to Hungary
Cardinal Peter Erdo, the Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, expressed his joy and expectations for the papal journey in an interview with Vatican News, also noting the significance of the pope's return to Hungarian territory.

The war in Ukraine will also be important during the trip, with Hungary having helped more than one million Ukrainian nationals who have travelled through the country as refugees.

The country has faced the challenge of providing humanitarian aid, including organising spontaneous help from the faithful and integrating refugees into Hungarian society.

Following is the Holy Father's itinerary in the European nation:

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS TO HUNGARY
28 - 30 APRIL 2023

Friday, 28 April 2023
ROME – BUDAPEST
08:10 Departure by airplane from Rome/Fiumicino International Airport to Budapest
10:00 Arrival at Budapest International Airport
10:00 OFFICIAL WELCOME
11:00 WELCOME CEREMONY in the square of “Sándor” Palace
11:30 COURTESY VISIT TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC in “Sándor” Palace
11:55 MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER
12:20 MEETING WITH THE AUTHORITIES, CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS in the former Carmelite Monastery Address of the Holy Father
17:00 MEETING WITH BISHOPS, PRIESTS, DEACONS, CONSECRATED PERSONS, SEMINARIANS AND PASTORAL WORKERS in St. Stephen's Co-Cathedral Address of the Holy Father

Saturday, 29 April 2023
BUDAPEST
08:45 PRIVATE VISIT TO THE CHILDREN OF THE “BLESSED LÁSZLÓ BATTHYÁNY-STRATTMANN” INSTITUTE
10:15 MEETING WITH POOR PEOPLE AND REFUGEES in St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church Address of the Holy Father
16:30 MEETING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE in “Papp László Budapest Sportaréna” Address of the Holy Father
18:00 PRIVATE MEETING WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS in the Apostolic Nunciature

Sunday, 30 April 2023
BUDAPEST – ROME
09:30 HOLY MASS in Kossuth Lajos' Square Homily of the Holy Father
Regina Caeli
16:00 MEETING WITH THE ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL WORLD at the Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics of the Catholic University “Péter Pázmány” Address of the Holy Father
17:30 FAREWELL CEREMONY at Budapest International Airport
18:00 Departure by airplane from Budapest International Airport to Rome
19:55 Arrival at Rome/Fiumicino International Airport