Pope Benedict XVI will make a pilgrimage to Spain in November, two months after his visit to Britain, the Vatican announced today. Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said the Pope would consecrate the unfinished Sagrada Familia temple in Barcelona, which has been under construction since the 19th century. The Pope would also pray at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral as a part of the St James Holy Year.

Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach, the Archbishop of Barcelona, said Pope Benedict XVI will officiate in the first Mass in the central nave of the Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudi’s Modernist temple. Monsignor Sistach had asked the Pope to consecrate the temple, which may finally be finished about 2025. Until now worshippers have only been able to celebrate Mass on special occasions such as the passing of the Millennium in 2000.

The Pope will visit Santiago de Compostela, which is celebrating a jubilee year that occurs when the feast day of St James’, July 25, falls on a Sunday. About 10 million people are expected to visit the city this year because it is a jubilee year, when pilgrims believe they may be forgiven for their sins. The faithful believe the remains of St James lie in the city’s cathedral. The Pope is expected to return to Spain for World Youth Day in August 2011. This year’s trip will be Pope Benedict XVI’s second visit to Spain after his visit to Valencia in July 2006. The Pope, who turns 83 next month is also planning trips this year to Malta, Portugal and Cyprus.

IN OTHER NEWS…

SPANISH GOVERNMENT ALLOWED ABORTION AT THE EVE OF WORLD YOUTH DAY 2011 – The pilgrimage comes after repeated clashes between the Roman Catholic Church and Spain’s Socialist Government over a series of social reforms, including the liberalisation of abortion laws. The Spanish Government last month passed a law allowing abortion on demand up to the 14th week of pregnancy and up to 22 weeks if there is a risk to the mother’s health of if the foetus has serious problems. However, the reform sparked a series of large-scale protests across Spain and repeated opinion polls found most Spaniards opposed the reforms. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Spanish Prime Minister, has had a stormy relationship with the conservative hierarchy of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference since he came to power in 2004, over a series of social reforms including legalisation of same sex marriage, fast-track divorce and stem cell research. Pope Benedict sent a message to a rally in Madrid last December, saying a family was “founded on the marriage between a man and a woman”. It is not known if the Pope will meet Mr Zapatero during his visit to Spain. However, other senior Spanish ministers have been received by the Pope at the Vatican.

WYD 2011 ORGANIZERS PREPARE FOR THE DISABLED – Organizers of the 2011 World Youth Day are preparing to welcome all young people, even those with disabilities, to Madrid as active participants. The communications department of the event’s organizational committee affirmed that they are including this consideration while arranging for all those participants who speak foreign languages. In a communiqué, the department affirmed: “In addition to the thousands of languages spoken in the world, there are others that, because they are unknown, are not given much attention. “Their words cannot be heard, they are written in the air, with their hands. It is the way that the deaf communicate.” For those who have difficulty reading long texts, the Youth Day organizers are offering informational videos on their Web site. Videos will also be offered on a YouTube channel dedicated to the event. One video gives practical details in international sign language. A special team has been nominated to coordinate and receive those participants who have special needs. The committee includes representatives from various groupings of disabilities: visual, auditory, physical and psychological. The team has been working for several months on the logistical details for making the Youth Day a good experience for all participants, especially those with special needs. For example, they are working with the ONCE foundation (a Spanish national organization for blind people) to make the Web site accessible to blind persons.