JOHN PAUL II LEAVES FOR TORONTO

VATICAN CITY, JUL 23, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II left this morning at 10 a.m. from Fiumicino Airport in Rome for Toronto, Canada, where he is scheduled to arrive at Lester B. Pearson International Airport at 1:00 p.m. local time (7 p.m. Rome time) after a nine-hour flight. The papal plane will travel 7,147 kilometers and will fly over Italy, France, England, Ireland and Canada.

On his 97th apostolic trip outside of Italy, the Holy Father will preside in Toronto at celebrations on the occasion of the 17th World Youth Day. He will then go to Guatemala City and Mexico City where he will canonize Blesseds Pedro de San Jose de Betancurt and Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin.

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