List of journeys of Pope Benedict XVI

With an average of three foreign journeys per year from 2006 to 2009, Pope Benedict XVI has been as active in visiting other countries as his predecessor, John Paul II, was at the same age from 1999 to 2002.

Most of these trips involve the Pope giving speeches on issues that play an important role in the region that he visits, especially on education, contraceptives, abortion, and what it means to be Catholic.

2005

Germany I (August 18 to August 21, 2005)

The Pope arrived in Germany on August 18 to participate in the 20th World Youth Day in Cologne. There he met with President Horst Köhler, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, Leader of the Opposition Angela Merkel and others, and visited the famous Cologne Cathedral. The Pope visited the synagogue of the Jewish community in Cologne, which is the oldest Jewish community in the world north of the Alps. Benedict and his immediate predecessor John Paul II are the only two popes since St. Peter known to have visited a synagogue. He also spoke with representatives of the Muslim and Protestant communities of Cologne. On August 21, he led a Mass at Marienfeld.

2006

Poland (May 25 to May 28, 2006)

The Pope began his visit just after 11 a.m. on May 25, landing at the Okęcie Military Airport in Warsaw. Throughout his visit, he often spoke a few sentences of Polish, which he had learned phonetically. After a welcoming ceremony, Benedict drove in his popemobile to St. John's Cathedral, where he met and addressed a thousand...
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