24-26 FEBRUARY

Arrive in Cairo at about 2 PM, after a 3-hour flight from Rome. He will be met at the airport by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Visit the resident of the leader of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church, Pope Shenouda III, who heads a group of some 4 million believers.

Meet with Grand Sheik Mohammed Sayed Tantawi of the Al-Azhar University in Cairo. In May 1998 the Sheik signed an accord with the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue creating a joint committee for Catholic-Muslim dialogue.

Celebrate Holy Mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Cairo with Coptic Catholic Patriarch Stephanos II Ghattas. The Coptic Catholic community claims 200,000 faithful in Egypt.

Preside with the Patriarch at an ecumenical gathering of Catholic and Orthodox representatives at Cairo's seminary of St. Leo the Great.

Travel one hour by plane to Mount Sinai for visit to the Orthodox monastery of St. Catherine, and to participate in a Celebration of the Word.

Return from Sinai then leave Egypt in the late afternoon for Rome.