Inviting His Holiness
Invitations for His Holiness to undertake ecclesiastical, ceremonial, charitable, cultural, academic, or other official visits are coordinated through the Apostolic Household.
Owing to the responsibilities of the Supreme Pontificate and the advance planning required for pontifical travel, acceptance of invitations is necessarily limited. Submission of an invitation does not imply or guarantee acceptance. A visit should not be announced publicly as confirmed unless and until written acceptance has been issued by the Apostolic Household.
Advance planning and host responsibilities
Pontifical visits, particularly those requiring international travel, ordinarily require substantial advance notice and coordination. The inviting or host institution is responsible for appropriate travel, hotel accommodations, local transportation, security, and other necessary expenses, including those associated with such accompanying personnel as the Apostolic Household determines necessary.
Protocol and participation
The ceremonial and ecclesiastical arrangements of an accepted visit are coordinated with the Apostolic Household in accordance with applicable pontifical protocol. Where a visit includes a liturgical or ecclesiastical act involving the participation of His Holiness, the nature of that participation and the applicable order of precedence shall be determined by the Apostolic Household in accordance with the protocol of the Holy Apostolic See.
Pontifical representation
Where His Holiness is unable to accept an invitation personally, the Apostolic Household may, where appropriate, consider the appointment of a pontifical representative. The host institution remains responsible for the appropriate travel, accommodations, local transportation, security, and related expenses of an appointed representative and any authorized accompanying personnel.