When Pope Benedict XVI arrives on September 16, he will be accompanied by the papal entourage. Composed of Vatican diplomats, secretaries, and curial officials, the seguito, as the papal retinue is known, will be hard at work during the papal visit. They will accompany the Pope during his public events but will also be involved in behind the scenes diplomatic work.
The most important meeting will be a working dinner at Lancaster House where the members of the entourage will meet their counterparts at the Foreign Office, Government and other aspects of public life. At the dinner, tables will be arranged more or less thematically, so that officials can discuss subjects such as fighting poverty in the developing world and the situation in the Middle East.
