John Paul II will make a "lightning visit" to
Spain in May to canonize five people and possibly meet with a big gathering of
young people.
"It will be a brief trip for obvious reasons of the Pope's health,"
Auxiliary Bishop Juan José Asenjo of Toledo said Thursday. Bishop Asenjo is
secretary and spokesman of the Spanish episcopal conference and a coordinator
of the papal trip.
On the afternoon of May 3, John Paul II will meet with young people, the bishop
said.
"If 100,000 Spaniards went to the Tor Vergata World Youth Day three years
ago, we don't think it is risky to believe that on this occasion at least
200,000 will go from the whole of Spain," he said.
On May 4, he added, "the Mass of canonization of five Spanish blessed will
take place: Madre Maravillas de Jesús, Mother Genevieve Torres, Father José
María Rubio, Sister Angela of the Cross, and Father Pedro Poveda."