The White House Welcoming Ceremony - Sequence of Events

The White House has published its Event Backgrounder, for the Visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to the White House:

On April 15, 2008, the President and Mrs. Bush will participate in an Arrival Ceremony for His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

On April 16, 2008, the President and Mrs. Bush will welcome His Holiness to The White House in an Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn followed by a meeting between the President and His Holiness in the Oval Office. Later that evening, the President and Mrs. Bush will host a dinner for Catholic leaders and friends in Honor of the Visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in the East Room of The White House.

The memo contains a detailed "Sequence of Events" of Benedict's arrival on the South Lawn at 10:30am, April 16:

• His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI arrives on the South Lawn and is greeted by the President and Mrs. Bush.
• The President introduces His Holiness to U.S. Delegation members including the Vice President, Mrs. Lynne Cheney, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Secretary Condoleezza Rice and Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon, U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See.
• The Marine Band performs the National Anthem of the Holy See. There will be a simultaneous 21-gun salute followed by the playing of the National Anthem of the United States of America.
• Kathleen Battle performs “The Lord’s Prayer.”
• The President delivers remarks.
• His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI delivers remarks.
• U.S. Army Chorus performs “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

Following the ceremony Benedict will meet with President Bush for 45 minutes, before departing West down Pennsylvania Avenue in his PopeMobile.

According to the memo there will be 9-12,000 visitors on the South Lawn, made up of Catholic clergy, ecumenical representatives, local Catholic school children, and members of the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Sisters of the Poor and the Knights of Columbus.